Algemas. Foto de Carlos Júnior
Maputo, 14 Sep (AIM) — Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) has arrested two Zimbabwean truck drivers and a Mozambican customs officer while they were attempting to steal 800,000 liters of fuel using forged documents.
The case follows an investigation into a similar crime last May, when approximately 400,000 liters of diesel bound for central province Manica were allegedly diverted using fraudulent transit permits.
The detained customs official was offered 1.7 million meticais (around 26,600 US dollars) to facilitate the illegal operation. The agreed payment structure involved an upfront fee of 500,000 meticais once the tankers were loaded at the Port of Beira, with the remaining 1.2 million meticais to be settled upon arrival at the final destination.
The detentions were carried out after suspicious paperwork and two commercial tankers parked in a local logistics yard awaiting clearance were identified.
Following an initial court appearance, the Zimbabwean drivers were granted bail set at 300,000 meticais each and have been released pending trial.
The Mozambican customs official remains in pre-trial detention after failing to post a 600,000 meticais bail requirement.
Speaking to reports, the accused customs official denied intentional wrongdoing, asserting that he acted in good faith based on documents provided by the company that owns the trucks.
“Up to this point, the company has not clarified which part of the documentation was forged”, he said.
SERNIC has reaffirmed its intent to crack down on cross-border logistics fraud and financial crimes, urging the public and industry stakeholders to report illegal activities that threaten national revenue and the regional supply chain.
(AIM)
Zt/Am/
