Nine arrested after Iran seizes 11 vessels suspected of fuel smuggling

Iranian police seized 11 vessels in waters off Minab of Hormuzgan Province in a campaign to combat the illicit trade of subsidised fuel. Nine individuals have been arrested
for further investigation, Mehr News Agency reported Saturday.

The vessels that contained smuggled fuel were found in the waters of Minab in the southern province of Hormuzgan. According to the Police’s report on Friday, which stressed the targeting of boats engaging in illegal fuel transportation.

The arrested were transferred to the relevant judicial authorities, and a probe was launched.

Officials said that further details would be published later without specifying the number of arrested people and the volume of confiscated oil derivatives.

Iran has consistently announced arrests and seizures of vessels attempting to illegally transfer subsidised fuels and to prevent them from reaching the neighbouring states, which have higher prices for this vital commodity.

Previously, the Iranian forces also announced the seizure of thousands of litres of smuggled fuel along with a large volume of other oil derivatives.

The last reported confiscation included the seizure of two vessels loaded with more than one million litres of smuggled fuel and the arrest of 15 foreign nationals from the vessels.

Authorities in Hormozgan have not commented on the destinations of these vessels or whether there would be more arrests.