Kolkata, Aug 15 (IANS): As many as 17 suspected Bangladeshi pirates were arrested after a boat chase at Sunderbans in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Tuesday late night and the trawler was seized, police said on Wednesday.

"During intensified patrolling on the Matla river in Sunderbans, ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, a suspected boat was spotted by our team and on seeing the police boat, the accused started fleeing," said a police officer.

The cops chased the boat and intercepted it. "We arrested 17 suspects from the boat around 12.30 a.m. on Wednesday and seized the trawler," said the officer over phone.

Preliminary interrogation revealed the men were from Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, the officer said.

The police officer suspected Bangladeshi nationals might have some "terror links" and the investigations are going on to find out if they had any plan to rob fishing trawlers in Sunderbans.

The accused were produced before the court, he added.