Mojtaba Ghahramani, head of the Justice Department of Iran’s southern province of Hormozgan, said on Saturday that forces from the fourth naval zone of the IRGC seized the vessel in the Persian Gulf as part of the operations to detect and fight against organized smuggling.
The ship was carrying more than 50 thousand liters of smuggled fuel.
Ghahramani added that four people were arrested in connection with the smuggling, without providing details on the nationality of the confiscated ship.
He said all those involved in the crime would be prosecuted, emphasizing that the cargo on board the ship was seized upon court order and handed over to the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) to be processed.
Ghahramani also said Iranian courts rule in favor of forfeiture of tankers with smuggled fuel to the government.
Back on July 7, IRGC seized a tanker vessel carrying hundreds of liters of smuggled fuel in the Persian Gulf waters.
Fars news agency reported at the time that the naval forces of the IRGC had confiscated the vessel with 900 tons of smuggled fuel, and also arrested all the 12 crew members onboard.
No further details about the identity of the vessel and the nationality of its crew members were announced.
MP/PressTV
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