Seizure of a Vessel Carrying 4 Million Liters of Smuggled Fuel in the Persian Gulf

Brigadier General Gholamshahi, Commander of the First Naval District of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated that fighters of the IRGC Navy’s First District, in a precise operation backed by full intelligence dominance, successfully seized a vessel carrying 4 million liters of smuggled fuel, with 16 non-Iranian crew members on board, as it was attempting to leave the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The case has been referred to judicial authorities for further investigation.

Elaborating on the operation, he said that units of the IRGC Navy’s First District, through continuous and accurate monitoring of maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf, detected suspicious activity by a large fuel-carrying vessel. Intelligence assessments revealed that the ship had received more than 4 million liters of smuggled fuel from smaller vessels and was planning to transfer the cargo to larger ships outside the Persian Gulf.

He added that the vessel’s crew consisted of 16 individuals, all of whom were non-Iranian. At the time of interception, the crew was preparing the vessel to exit Iran’s territorial waters, but was stopped by a swift and decisive action by IRGC Navy patrol boats in the First District.

Brigadier General Gholamshahi emphasized the significance of the operation, noting that the vessel was engaged in organized fuel smuggling.

He further stated that the case of the vessel and its crew has been referred to judicial authorities, and that supplementary investigations are underway to identify the networks linked to this smuggling operation. The smuggled fuel cargo will also be confiscated and handled in accordance with legal regulations.

In conclusion, Brigadier General Gholamshahi stressed that decisive action against fuel smugglers and the protection of national resources are among the top priorities of the IRGC Navy, and that any attempt to bypass the law or illegally remove fuel from Iran’s territorial waters will be met with a swift and firm response./ Tasnim