Police Chief of Sistan and Balouchestan province Brigadier General Mohammad Ghanbari said on Monday that in continuation of measures to combat fuel smuggling, a fuel trafficking band smuggling fuel to neighboring countries was dismantled during the previous week.
3 fuel depots and 7 tank-trucks have been confiscated during operations, he added.
65 fuel smugglers have been arrested in addition to confiscation of 163,097 liters of diesel, 22,000 liters of bitumen, 2,850 liters of gasoline, and 800 liters of fuel, he said.
As reported in early June, Iran has launched a border market to sell diesel fuel to buyers in Pakistan and Afghanistan to counter smuggling of fuel ate border areas.
Fuel, especially diesel, is being moved illegally out of the country through cities bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey, says Alireza Zeighami, deputy oil minister for refining and distribution.
Between 7 million-10 million liters of petrol and diesel are smuggled out every day, according to Iranian state media. Analysts are attributing a 7 percent rise in fuel consumption to an increase in smuggling activity.
MNA/IRN83568203