Mumbai, Apr 25: Mystery has deepened after X-ray reports of 24 goats seized from the dhow MSV Yusufi, intercepted off Mumbai coast, revealed that five of them carried foreign objects.
A decision is being taken to operate upon all the five goats to check for contraband, as police are not satisfied with the X-ray reports.
The dhow was intercepted by the Coast Guard off the coast of Mumbai on April 3 and the goats underwent X-ray last week.
The police have sought metropolitan magistrate's permissions for the operation. They have insisted that the dean of the veterinary college should operate on the animals.
The goats have been kept in quarantine at Mumbai Port Trust as they are suspected to be infected.
The dhow was intercepted after the Coast Guard picked up conversation on a banned Thuraya satellite phone, which the crew allegedly dumped in the sea.
A cargo of 24 goats, 450 crates of cigarettes, mobile phone parts, two television sets and a tablet were found aboard. The dhow's 3-member crew is in police custody.
Police have not dismissed terror angle to the case.
