TEHRAN, Sept 8 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran arrested 10 suspects yesterday, after it seized more than one million litres of smuggled diesel, off the coast of the southern province of Hormuzgan.
The smugglers had stored the fuel in clandestine depots, and attempted to transfer it to a number of regional Arab states in plastic containers, pulled behind their vessels, Hormuzgan Police Commander, Ali Akbar Javidan, was quoted as saying last night.
He added, the fuel was intended to be smuggled out of the country through the bay of the Kolahi port in Minab County, but was seized in a joint operation by the Iranian police and naval forces.
The operation also uncovered 50 plastic and metal containers, as well as, more than 100,000 metres of underground land-to-sea fuel transfer pipelines, said Javidan.
Iran’s government offers fuel subsidies, making fuel smuggling a lucrative business.– NNN-IRNA
