Iran Seizes Two Tankers With 3 Million Litres Of Smuggled Diesel In Persian Gulf

Oil Tankers — Image for representation purposes only

The Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has seized two foreign-registered tankers in the Persian Gulf, accusing them of smuggling diesel fuel.

According to Iranian state media, the two vessels were transporting more than three million litres (792,516 US gallons) of illegally acquired diesel.

The two ships, named Start 1 and Vintage, were intercepted in the central waters of the Persian Gulf. Authorities have confirmed that both tankers collectively had 25 crew members onboard.

All crew members have been detained, and the nationalities of the vessels and crew have not been disclosed. The seized tankers are now being transferred to Iran’s Bushehr port.

Mehdi Mehrangiz, a senior judiciary official in Bushehr, stated that the operation was carried out under a judicial order. However, further details regarding the legal proceedings against the detained crew have not been shared.

Diesel prices in Iran are lower than in neighbouring countries, making fuel smuggling a profitable but illegal trade.

Iranian authorities claim that organised smuggling networks transport fuel both by land to neighboring countries and by sea to Gulf states.

The country has increased its anti-smuggling efforts in recent years. Just last week, Iranian border police intercepted a separate vessel carrying one million litres of smuggled oil in the Persian Gulf.

Officials estimate that around 25 million to 30 million litres of fuel are illegally moved out of the country everyday.

Iranian diesel is priced at IRR 3,000 ($0.003) per litre under a limited monthly quota, while the rate for unrestricted use is IRR 6,000 per liter.

This price gap between Iran and other Gulf states has led to persistent smuggling attempts, forcing Iranian authorities to tighten security measures at its borders and coastlines.

Reference: Reuters

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