Customs opened fire to warn, seized a boat transporting 180m3 of smuggled oil

Fleet 3 conducted inspection a boat transporting smuggled oil.

On March 30, Fleet 3 inspected a boat carrying smuggled oil in Vung Tau’s waters. Through inspection, the Customs authorities discovered all the compartments on the boat were full of DO oil and no legal invoices.

To seize the above smuggled oil, the Fleet 3 had to chase and open fire to warn when the subject tried to escape and caused aggression with the competent force.

Vu Ngoc Khiem, deputy head of the Fleet 3, said on March 25, when conducting a patrol at sea, the working group of Fleet 3 discovered a boat with licence plate TG93998 -TS (using fake plated No.TG 93995-TS) had many suspect signs about transporting smuggled oil, so they sped up and used the loudspeaker to ask the boat to stop for an inspection.

However, the boat's operator did not obey the order but accelerated to flee, so the working group had to give chase.

Facing the situation of stubborn subjects, the Customs force was forced to open fire to warn the target. However, the subjects continued fleeing, even crossing the head of speedboat and causing damage for the boat of working group. After more than two hours of chasing, the working group arrested the above boat.

Through a quick inspection on the ship, the working group found four people with no identification papers and no seafaring certificates. Initially, the vehicle’s operator claimed that the boat transported about 180 cubic metres of DO oil which was stored in eight cargo holds, without vouchers. All of this oil was taken from a ship in the offshore area, but they didn't remember the coordinates.

Due to the bad weather with high waves and winds, Fleet 3 towed and brought the boat carrying smuggled oil to the wharf of the unit to conduct physical inspection.

As a result, eight cargo holds were filled with oil, estimated at 180 cubic metres, without vouchers proving the origin. Fleet 3 has made record and expanded the investigation to handle.