MUSCAT: Authorities are working on ways to foil attempts at smuggling of fuel as they are expected to increase following a decision by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to deregulate fuel prices from August 1.
The announcement about the new petrol prices in the UAE was made on Tuesday. The price of Special 95 petrol will be increased from Dh1.72 per litre to Dh2.14, an increase of 23.6 per cent. The revised price for Super 98 has been set at Dh2.25 and E Plus at Dh2.07. With the UAE deciding to link fuel prices to global oil markets, new prices will be fixed every month and the next change will be announced on August 28.
The cost of petrol in Oman is 120 baiza for Super and 116 baiza for Regular.
Since petrol will cost less here, attempts at smuggling fuel are expected to shoot up in the coming period. Authorities are looking for ways to thwart such tactics, according to a reliable source in the government.
The source added that various strategies have been discussed and studied by the authorities concerned to stop such smuggling attempts.
Public Prosecution statistics show that more than 25 fuel smugglers were arrested and faced trial in 2012. Fuel has been cheaper in Oman compared to the UAE.
Experts says that each truck can carry between 500 and 1,200 litres of fuel, depending on the capacity of the vehicle’s tank.
By resorting to such acts, many smugglers can make a profit of not less than OMR300 per day, or even more, as they manage to cross the border thrice a day via different border posts.
Welcoming the authorities’ efforts to work out a strategy to stop the smuggling of fuel, Mohammed bin Salim Al Busaidi, member of the Majlis Al Shura, said, “Such smugglers think they can make quick money. They don’t understand that they are affecting the country negatively by indulging in such acts.”
Another Majlis Al Shura member said more steps are required to crack down on smuggling of fuel through border posts, including Al Wajajah, Khutmat Melaha and Wadi Jezi.
To curb fuel smuggling, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) had introduced a rule about two years back as per which drivers of heavy trucks, trailers and four-wheel drive vehicles were asked to fill up a form mentioning the distance that the truck had already travelled, the quantity of fuel in the vehicle’s fuel tank, and the intended destination while travelling to neighbouring countries.
