Angola’s Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), in cooperation with the other bodies of the Interior Ministry, thwarted the smuggling of 33,750 liters of gasoline from Cuando Cubango province to the Republic of Zambia.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Chief Superintendent Novais Eduardo Chissesso, Deputy Director of the SIC in Cuando Cubango, said that the operation took place in the last 48 hours, explaining that the product was transported in 135 containers, with 250 liters each, coming from the municipality of Menongue, the capital of the province.
He stated that the criminals, in addition to presenting dubious documents, the quantity of the product transported constituted the crime of smuggling under the terms of Law 5/24 of 23 August, Law to combat the smuggling of petroleum products.
While detailing the criminals’ plan, the official explained that being in the municipality of Rivungo, the product would be placed in smaller containers, such as 1/20 and 1/25 liter containers, in order to facilitate accommodation in small shipments and cross the Cuando River from the port river in the municipality.
Once this procedure, the product would be in Zambia’s territorial space within an estimated time of fifteen minutes with the use of high-displacement trucks which facilitate movement and take unconventional routes.
This is the second case of seizure of petroleum products in large quantities this year in the Cuando Cubango province.
The first case involved 15,250 liters seized in March in the same region.
The operation culminated in the arrest of six national citizens.
ANGOP found that five liters of gasoline can be sold at the price of 500 Kwatchas, Zambian currency, equivalent to 20,000 kwanzas, if converted into the Angolan currency.
After all the calculations, the illicit fuel business in that country would have a revenue of 675 million kwanzas.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com