Officials seized the two tankers after discovering that the drivers were attempting to evade paying taxes on the imported fuel.
The drivers also didn’t have the correct documents in place to carry out such an exercise. They were reportedly carrying 4,000 liters of petrol in one tanker and 3,000 liters of diesel in another.
The incident happened on Tuesday at 11 pm on Road 13 North. Officers from the Investigation and Suppression Division stationed at the Danxi coordination center and Banmai coordination center in Sikhottabong district alongside the Ministry of Finance then took the vehicles into custody and proceeded for further investigation. They were tipped by a local and that led to the impounding of the two tankers.
According to the Vientiane Times, this was the latest in a string of such instances where locals tried to smuggle large quantities of fuel into the country. Sometimes they even collude with state officials to facilitate the transfer.
Lao Prime Minster, Mr. Phankham Viphavanh stated at the National Assembly in June that around 700 million liters of fuel is trafficked into Laos every year. Statistics released by Thailand and Vietnam authorities inform that Laos received 1,900 million liters of fuel every year, but the government is reported about only 1,200 million liters.
