Iraqi security arrests largest crude oil smuggling network in Basra
Technicians in an oil facility in Iraq. Photo: AP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi National Security Service announced on Wednesday that senior officers and employees are involved in the largest crude oil smuggling network in Basra governorate, indicating that members of the network were arrested, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
A statement issued by the Iraqi National Security Service revealed that security forces arrested members of the smuggling network, led by a merchant, which was stealing crude oil by making holes in export lines in the Zubair oilfield and transport it through a desert road.
The statement explained that the daily smuggled quantities are estimated between 5-7 tankers, each with a capacity of 50 thousand liters, and the monthly quantities reached 75 million liters.
The statement noted that the arrest of the network’s members was carried out after arrest warrants were issued by the Iraqi judiciary, and investigations are still ongoing.
“We directed that oil smuggling networks should be tracked and arrest warrants against the gangs that dared to steal the wealth of the Iraqis should be executed,” the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, said via Twitter.
“Security forces belonging to the National Security Service, in cooperation with other security agencies, managed to arrest members of the largest oil smuggling network in Basra,” Al-Sudani added.
The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced on Tuesday that oil export revenues for the month of October exceeded nine billion USD.