At about 8:10pm on Wednesday night, Suresh and Vijay, two young residents of Cuffe Parade fisherman’s village, a slum on the edge of south Mumbai’s upmarket business and residential district, were surprised to see a boat slip quietly up to shore.

On board were as many as eight young men, each laden with up to three large bags. Six of the men jumped off the boat and came onshore while two pushed off again and sped up the coast.