Iran seizes oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz on suspicion of smuggling fuel

By Tolga Akbaba, Basar Bayatli and Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Iran seized an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday and detained its crew for allegedly smuggling fuel, according to local media.

Mojtaba Ghahremani, Chief Justice of the southern Hormozgan province, said the tanker was seized while sailing near the port city of Jask after it was found to be carrying 6 million liters of smuggled fuel (about 1.6 million gallons), the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Ghahremani said 18 people were detained, including the captain and crew members, noting that the tanker failed to comply with orders to stop and that its radar system was turned off.

He added that inspections carried out aboard the vessel revealed the absence of any documents related to maritime navigation or the cargo.

“Numerous acts constituting crimes were identified,” he said, without elaborating.

Ghahremani also stated that the crew members hold Indian, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi nationalities, without providing information on the tanker’s flag state.