Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared on Saturday that they had been able to seize a foreign ship loaded with smuggled diesel in the Gulf waters.
Ahmad Hajian, the Guards commander, reportedly said that 11 crew members had been detained. He has, however, not provided details on the nationality or identity of the vessel.
The state broadcaster of Iran quoted Hajian, mentioning that on inspection over 150,000 litres of smuggled diesel were discovered.
The Fars news agency released video footage that showed how speedboats were trying to intercept a vessel, and masked armed guards were seen boarding it.
Iran maintains the cheapest fuel prices in the world. However, owing to sky-high subsidies and the fall of its national currency as it fights US sanctions, Iran has been trying to prevent fuel smuggling via land against neighbouring nations and via sea to the states of Gulf Arab.
It has been seizing boats frequently along with other vessels used for fuel smuggling in the Gulf. Hajian has added that his team would decisively fight against fuel smuggling in the sea to protect the economy.
Previously, the official IRNA news agency had released an image of what it described as a foreign vessel transporting bootleg fuel that was seized in the Gulf.
Reference: telegraphindia.com
Ship Seized In Persian Gulf With 11 Crew Members For Smuggling Diesel appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide
Source: Maritime Shipping News