Diesel smuggling racket busted in city, four held

DRI sources said the smugglers were illegally importing diesel from Dubai to the city claiming it to be mineral spirit. Subsequently, they were sold in grey markets in Chennai, and Kakinada, Ongole and Telangana. So far, about 63 lakh litres of diesel valued at Rs 17.7 crore has been smuggled in this manner, said DRI officials in a statement issued on Saturday.  

Andhra Pradesh’s state intelligence unit alerted DRI on diesel being smuggled, after which the DRI Hyderabad unit swung into action and raided container freight stations - Sanco and Gateway - at the Chennai Port. 

They found 14 containers imported in the name of SAF Petroleum and Aditya Marine contained diesel, which is a restricted commodity and could be imported only through oil marketing companies recognised by the Union Petroleum Ministry. Immediately, searches were conducted at 12 places in Kakinada and Chennai.  

It was also found that the Kakinada-based smugglers stored the diesel at Maraimalai Nagar yard before transporting it to different places across south India.