Colonel Hossein Dehaki said on Sunday that the maritime guards of Hormozgan Province, south of Iran identified and seized one vessel smuggling diesel fuel in the Persian Gulf.
The seized cargoes consisted of 123,000 liters of smuggled diesel fuel, he said, adding that fuel smugglers have been arrested in these operations and sent to judiciary officials.
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/IRN 83603812