Smuggled oil worth $123m seized in S China

Guangdong marine police, in cooperation with Zhanjiang customs officers, seized more than 160,000 metric tons of finished oil after busting five major smuggling gangs in the coastal areas in Guangdong province between Dec 12 and 13, a statement released by Guangdong marine police force said on Sunday.

The smuggled oil estimated to be worth more than 800 million yuan ($123 million) evaded taxes worth over 400 million yuan, the statement said.

Marine police immediately established a special task force and launched investigation, in cooperation with Zhanjiang customs in Leizhou Peninsula in western part of the province, when they received tips from insiders in September, said the statement.

After months of investigation, joint special operations were launched by marine police and customs officers on December 12 and 13, seizing large amount of oil after raiding two large and medium-sized oil supply vessels and two small connecting oil tankers in the waters off Maoming city in western Guangdong coast, detaining a total of 22 suspected smugglers on the spot, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, special operations were launched simultaneously in the cities of Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, Shantou, Jiangmen and Nanning in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, detaining another 27 key suspects on land after cracking down on five smuggling gangs, said the statement.

Police and customs officers have frozen 2.19 million yuan that was used to smuggle the oil until further investigation, the statement said.

The crackdown has dealt a heavy blow to finished oil smuggling that used to active in the southern province, window of the country’s reform and opening-up, added the statement.province, window of the country's reform and opening-up, added the statement.