China busts oil-smuggling network, arrests 55 suspects

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Customs authorities have busted 11 smuggling rings and arrested 55 suspects in a recent special campaign to crack down on refined Oil smuggling, according to the General Administration of Customs.

From March 12 to 14, Chinese customs dispatched 71 special groups of forces from local customs, coast guards and the maritime sectors, in the fight against the crimes.

A preliminary investigation showed that smugglers trafficked around 138,000 tonnes of refined Oil worth 810 million yuan (about 121 million U.S. dollars).

Since the beginning of the year, the country's customs have prevented 87 crimes of refined Oil trafficking valued at 4.8 billion yuan.

The quality of the smuggled refined Oil vary greatly and there are potential risks in the use of the Oil, said a customs official, adding that the customs will continue to crack down on smuggling with strengthened efforts to safeguard national security.