The Nigerian Navy said it has recorded another operational success under Operation Delta Sentinel with the discovery of a concealed cache of suspected illegally refined petroleum products and the interception of a vehicle believed to be part of an illicit fuel distribution network in Rivers State.
A statement signed by Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, said acting on credible intelligence, personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, Soroh were deployed to the Okolomade community axis of Abua-Odual Local Government Area, where intelligence indicated the movement of suspected illegally refined products within the Orashi Forest corridor.
According to the statement, during the operation, the team intercepted a silver colored Toyota Camry suspected to be conveying illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO.
“A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of about 17 sacks containing suspected illegally refined AGO,” it said, adding that “Further exploitation of the area revealed additional concealed stockpiles hidden under thick vegetation at multiple locations within the forest.”
It added that subsequent ground searches resulted in the recovery of an additional 56 sacks of suspected illegally refined AGO strategically dispersed across the area, adding that in total, the operation led to the recovery of 73 sacks containing approximately 63,290 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO, as well as the vehicle believed to have been used for transportation.
The Navy said the discovery highlighted the increasing use of forest corridors and concealed storage points by criminal elements seeking to move illegally refined petroleum products from remote locations into distribution channels.
“The operation therefore disrupted another critical link in the illicit petroleum value chain.
“The recovered products were handled in accordance with extant regulations, while the vehicle was secured for further necessary action,” the statement added.
