Source: Iraqi forces bust a ring for smuggling oil in Diyala

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Iraqi Security forces busts an oil smuggling ring in the outskirts of Al-Muqdadiya district in Diyala Governorate, arresting three perpetrators.

A source told Shafaq News Agency that the preliminary investigation revealed that the Ring's members are linked to political parties, and one is affiliated with the security forces.

"The security and intelligence detachments also found several dens and sites for storing and smuggling oil products and confiscated hundreds of thousands of liters of oil derivatives in Diyala." The source revealed.

Iraq has been taking active steps to counter massive oil smuggling operations. Former Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hakim al-Zamili said smuggled out of Iraq amounts to "half of the country's total oil exports."

In 2022, According to the Iraqi National Security Council (INSC)data, the Iraqi government seized more than one million liters of smuggled oil and 49 fuel tankers used for smuggling.

During the same period, 117 smugglers were arrested in raids on their hideouts, during which containers used for storing fuel were confiscated.