TEHRAN – Iranian police have destroyed a fuel theft network in the country’s southern Hormozgan province.
“Following intelligence reports from security forces that fuel was stolen from a main pipeline supplying petroleum products in the village of Sarze on the outskirts of Fin County, top local law enforcement officials visited the scene of the incident at 2 a.m. and issued an order to immediately identify those involved in this criminal act,” said Mojtaba Kaalemani, head of the Hormozgan Ministry of Justice.
The official said that following a judicial order to identify the culprits, security forces managed to uncover the site where illegal excavation was being carried out to steal from a major pipeline.
“Necessary measures were taken and the site was placed under night surveillance and strict surveillance was carried out to identify the main operatives of the (fuel theft) network,” he explained.
“Therefore, in coordination with law enforcement authorities and forming an operational team, the military launched a quick response and surprise operation and arrested two thieves who illegally pumped fuel,” the official said.
He added that efforts are underway to identify other culprits and determine the exact amount of fuel stolen.
He said that thanks to the measures adopted, the rate of fuel theft from pipelines has dropped sharply and possible cases of theft are now detected quickly.
He said a relentless campaign was underway to combat the scourge of petroleum product theft, adding that law enforcement authorities would not hesitate to deal with the perpetrators.
As part of Iran’s crackdown on fuel smuggling, Iranian security forces dismantled a fuel smuggling ring in northern Mazandaran province a few days ago.
The smuggling network included state and national fuel traffickers, fuel station employees, transportation contractors, fuel distributors, and truck drivers engaged in the illegal diversion and sale of subsidized fuel. The coordinated operation was carried out in close cooperation with law enforcement authorities.
Iran continues to engage in widespread fuel smuggling, both by land and sea, a problem driven by the country’s heavily subsidized fuel prices, which are among the lowest in the world. Wide price differentials between Iran and neighboring countries have facilitated large-scale illegal fuel transfers for years.
In response, Iranian authorities have stepped up efforts to interdict smugglers by land and sea, working with the country’s military. According to official statistics, an estimated 25 million to 30 million liters of fuel products, including gasoline and diesel, are smuggled out of Iran every day.