Iranian security forces have detained a foreign-flagged tanker in the Gulf, accusing it of smuggling fuel, and arrested all 17 crew members on board.
According to reports from the ISNA news agency on Monday, the vessel, identified as Phoenix and sailing under the flag of an unspecified third country, was intercepted by police border guards in Hormozgan province while in Iranian territorial waters.
Authorities allege the tanker was carrying over two million litres of illicit fuel. All crew members, described as foreign nationals, were taken into custody.
Iran has long battled fuel smuggling, driven in part by heavily subsidized domestic fuel prices, which are among the lowest globally. This disparity has made the illicit transport of fuel to other markets a lucrative activity for smugglers.
Incidents of Iranian forces intercepting ships suspected of smuggling fuel in the Gulf and surrounding waters are frequent. Just last month, officials announced the seizure of another foreign tanker in the Sea of Oman, which was also alleged to have been transporting two million litres of contraband fuel.
What You Should Know
Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker, Phoenix, and arrested 17 crew members for allegedly smuggling over two million litres of fuel in the Gulf.
The incident is part of a recurring pattern of fuel smuggling crackdowns, fueled by Iran’s low domestic fuel prices and the profitability of illegal exports.
