TEHRAN: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have seized an oil tanker in the Gulf and arrested its nine crew members over alleged oil smuggling.
“On Friday morning, an oil tanker named Pearl G, carrying the flag of the African country of Togo… was seized by judicial order,” said the IRGC in a statement on Monday.
It said the ship is owned by an Iraqi citizen and was carrying 700,000 liters of fuel. The IRGC said its naval forces captured the vessel near the Arash oil field while loading smuggled fuel from Iranian barges.
“This oil tanker along with its nine crew members who are of Indian nationality have been transferred to Imam Khomeini harbor and are under surveillance,” the statement said.
This is the second such capture in less than a week. On July 22, the IRGC seized another Togo-flagged oil tanker and apprehended its 12 crew members, also over alleged fuel smuggling.
The fate of both the ship and the crew is still not clear. Iranian naval forces regularly announce the seizure of vessels transporting fuel in the region.
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Iran also seized a ship carrying two million liters of allegedly smuggled fuel in late January. In May, Iran released seven crew members from a Portuguese-flagged ship, captured on April 13, after accusing them of links with Israel.
Fuel prices in Iran are among the lowest internationally, increasing the profitability of smuggling.
