France detains Indian captain of suspected shadow fleet tanker

Other crew members, also Indian nationals, remain on board the ship while investigators verify the validity of the flag and the vessel's navigation documents, the statement added.

The EU has imposed 19 packages of sanctions against Russia, but Moscow has adapted to most measures and continues to sell millions of barrels of oil to countries such as India and China, typically at discounted prices.

Much of the oil is carried by what is known as a shadow fleet of vessels operating outside of the Western maritime industry.

In October, France detained another sanctioned tanker, the Boracay, off its west coast and released it after a few days.

(Reporting by Marc Leras, writing by Leigh Thomas, editing by Andrew Heavens)