Soldiers smash illegal oil warehouse in Thai Far South

SONGKHLA, THAILAND, April 5 (TNA) - Army personnel have smashed an illegal oil warehouse in Songkhla Province in the Thai Far South and seized about 13,000 litres of oil. Some 50 army soldiers on Tuesday stormed the illegal oil warehouse, located inside a rubber plantation in Songkhla’s Sadao District, and seized 11,000 litres of gasoline and 2,000 litres of diesel. Authorities said they believe that the seized oil warehouse could be a major one and not less than 60,000 litres of oil must have been stored there. Money earned from selling the smuggled oil would probably be not less than one million baht in circulation daily and the illegal business must have been in operations several years. The seizure came shortly after officials arrested six drivers and workers travelling in three pickup trucks carrying illegal oil, while they were entering the warehouse. An initial investigation found that there were about 10 trucks and more than 100 persons involving in the illegal scheme. Concerned authorities are, thus, hunting the rest of the gang. (TNA)