Iran has seized a suspected fuel smuggling vessel in the Persian Gulf. The crew consisted of 16 foreign members
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's ideological army, on Wednesday seized a suspected fuel smuggling vessel with 16 foreign crew members on board.
PHOTO: X/@ShanghaiEye
The Navy of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) seized the vessel while it was carrying approximately 4 million liters of contraband fuel. The information was confirmed by General Abbas Gholamshahi, commander of the IRGC, according to Iranian state media, quoted by AFP and Agerpres.
Iranian authorities have not provided details on the identity of the ship or the nationalities of the crew members. The incident occurred in the waters of the Persian Gulf, when the oil tanker allegedly tried to leave Iranian territorial waters.
Iran frequently announces the detention of vessels involved in illegal fuel trafficking in the region, a phenomenon fueled by extremely low fuel prices on the domestic market, among the lowest in the world, which makes smuggling particularly profitable.
A similar incident occurred on December 13, when Iranian authorities seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman with 18 crew members from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on board.
