Ondjiva – Three national citizens aged between 23 and 39 years old, were arrested in the municipalities of Ombadja and Curoca, by the National Police (PN) of the province of Cunene, due to fuel smuggling.
The action was reported to ANGOP on Monday, Feb 3, by the head of the Institutional Communication and Press Department of the National Police in Cunene, lieutenant Luísa Sacalumbo, stating that 1,60 liters of gasoline were seized in their possession.
She also said that the product was packed in 50 drums of 20 to 25 liters and transported on three-wheeled motorcycles, known as “Kaleluya” and were destined for illegal sale in Namibian territory.
He made it known that smugglers purchase fuel at a normal price at gas stations and, with the intention of making easy profits, resort to street sales in the neighboring country.
“These individuals most often arrange a meeting with Namibian buyers, using prohibited routes, to cross the border with the product,” she explained.
Luísa Sacalumbo said that to prevent the practice of fuel smuggling, inspection actions will continue to involve different bodies of the National Police, mainly on the Angola/Namibia border.
In 2024 in Cunene, 149,356 liters of fuel were seized, 101,003 liters of gasoline and 48,353 of diesel, which were heading to Namibia.
The province of Cunene shares a 460-km border with the Republic of Namibia, 340 of which are land and 120 are rivers.
Law No. 5/24, on Combating the Smuggling of Petroleum Products, was approved on April 23 by the National Assembly, decrees punishment with a minimum sentence of three years and a maximum of 12 years in prison, in the case of importing or exporting to the national territory.
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