Iran Seizes Togo-Flagged Tanker: Smuggling Crackdown in the Gulf

Iran seized the Togo-flagged tanker Pearl G in the Gulf, carrying 700,000 litres of smuggled Iranian crude. The vessel, owned by an Iraqi national residing in the UAE, was offloading oil from Iranian ships. Iran, facing rampant smuggling due to cheap fuel, moved the vessel to Bandar Imam Khomeini port.

In a significant crackdown on smuggling, Iran seized the Togo-flagged tanker Pearl G in the Gulf on Friday, which was carrying 700,000 litres of illegally transported Iranian crude, according to Tehran's semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The Pearl G, owned by an Iraqi national residing in the UAE, was reportedly offloading smuggled oil from Iranian vessels. The vessel has been relocated to the port of Bandar Imam Khomeini. Iran, known for its heavily subsidized fuel and a struggling currency, has been aggressively combating smuggling activities by both land and sea.

Data from LSEG tracking highlights that the Pearl G spent the last 90 days navigating between Sharjah in the UAE and points off the coast of Iraq. The tanker, manned by a crew of nine Indians, was seized under a judicial order, as noted by Tasnim. The vessel's registered manager is Jinsung Marine Service Co Ltd. This incident follows another recent seizure by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of a Togo-flagged tanker carrying 1,500 tons of marine gas oil.

(With inputs from agencies.)