Namacunde – The Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), in southern Cunene Province, has reinforced surveillance actions in Santa Clara, Namacunde Municipality, to avoid fuel smuggling along the border between Angola and Namibia,the SIC spokesman, José Coimbra, has said.

The police chief made the statement during the presentation of the results of the works conducted to combat fuel smuggling along the border between the two southern African countries.

The SIC spokesperson informed that the inspections resulted in the seizure of seven Namibian vehicles involved in illicit activities, which used forbidden roads, mainly in Santa Clara and Calueque localities.

He explained that at least 11,725 liters of fuel have been seized and 17 citizens arrested aged from 23 to 63, being four Angolans and 13 Namibians, adding that the vehicles were delivered to the Namibian police, while the smuggled fuel returned to the Angolan State.

“The illicit exportation of the product has taken worrying proportions, since the individuals put in the vehicle diesel and petrol in 20-litre plastic containers, with uncharacterized deposits, entering the customs territory in a temporary transit regime, illegally”, the SIC spokesperson said.

He added that the Angolan law enforcement authorities will continue to strengthen surveillance mechanisms along the common border in collaboration with the Namibian police to tackle fuel smuggling.

Fuel smuggling has created long lines of vehicles and motorcycles at petrol stations in Ondjiva City and Santa Clara village.

Cunene Province shares a 460-kilometer border with Namibia, 340 of which is land and 120 kilometers through rivers.

Source: Angola Press News Agency