Damietta seaport authorities on Wednesday thwarted an alleged attempt by officials from a trade company to smuggle more than 10 million liters of subsidized gasoline.
The authorities filed a police report and referred the suspects to prosecution.
Police at the seaport were notified that the officials were smuggling large amounts of petroleum products during the current nationwide fuel shortage.
Samples of the seized shipments were sent to Petroleum Ministry. Authorities say the shipments contained 80-octane gasoline, which is subsidized by the government.
Police arrested the owner of the company that allegedly imported three shipments loaded with total of 639 tons of gasoline to Syria and Morocco. They also arrested a company owner allegedly smuggling 412 tons in two shipments of gasoline to Syria and Turkey.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
