Iran Seizes Foreign Tanker for Smuggling Fuel

A foreign tanker was seized by Iran in the Gulf of Oman for smuggling 2 million litres of fuel, the chief justice of Hormozgan province said on Wednesday, according to Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency.

"During the continuous process of monitoring and surveilling suspicious fuel smuggling movements in the Gulf of Oman, officers inspected a foreign tanker due to its lack of legal documents regarding its cargo and seized it on charges of carrying 2 million litres of smuggled fuel," Hormozgan's Chief Justice Mojtaba Ghahremani said, according to the report.

The judiciary official added that 17 crew members were arrested and that a judicial case was opened at the Jask county prosecutor's office. There was no additional information regarding the name of the tanker or the flag to which it is registered.

Iran, which has some of the world's lowest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the plunge in the value of its national currency, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Persian Gulf Arab states.

"The actions of fuel smugglers, who in coordination with foreigners, attempt to plunder national wealth will not remain hidden from the judiciary and punishment of perpetrators, if their crimes are proven, will be without leniency," Ghahremani said, according to the report. - Reuters