Mumbai:
For about two decades, the business of smuggling diesel in the dock areas has proved to be lucrative.
But very few people are aware how this multi-million racket operates.
According to police, the smuggling takes place with the connivance of captains or staff members of a vessel.
A police officer said: "Usually, the captain or chief engineer of a vessel shows higher diesel consumption than actually takes place and sells the remaining. The records pertaining to diesel consumption are fudged.
In some cases, the captains are even entitled to extra or reserve diesel and they do not even have to give its usage report to the vessel company. Most of the time, the captain takes advantage of this and sells the diesel to smugglers."
He added that in the local market, the role of middleman is played by a stevedore, whose job is to load and unload vessels in a port.
"In the Chand murder case, stevedore Shaikh Akhtar Allah Rakha was also arrested. He acted as a middleman for Mohammad Ali. Allah Rakha would board ships, get in touch with captains, ask them if there is diesel left for sale and would then strike a deal with them," the officer said, adding that after that, Allah Rakha would contact Mohammad Ali and inform him about the diesel available for smuggling.
"After striking the deal, Ali would then send his tug to unload or pilfer the diesel from the vessel," said the officer.
Copyright restricted. Under license from www.3dsyndication.com
But very few people are aware how this multi-million racket operates.
According to police, the smuggling takes place with the connivance of captains or staff members of a vessel.
A police officer said: "Usually, the captain or chief engineer of a vessel shows higher diesel consumption than actually takes place and sells the remaining. The records pertaining to diesel consumption are fudged.
In some cases, the captains are even entitled to extra or reserve diesel and they do not even have to give its usage report to the vessel company. Most of the time, the captain takes advantage of this and sells the diesel to smugglers."
He added that in the local market, the role of middleman is played by a stevedore, whose job is to load and unload vessels in a port.
"In the Chand murder case, stevedore Shaikh Akhtar Allah Rakha was also arrested. He acted as a middleman for Mohammad Ali. Allah Rakha would board ships, get in touch with captains, ask them if there is diesel left for sale and would then strike a deal with them," the officer said, adding that after that, Allah Rakha would contact Mohammad Ali and inform him about the diesel available for smuggling.
"After striking the deal, Ali would then send his tug to unload or pilfer the diesel from the vessel," said the officer.
Copyright restricted. Under license from www.3dsyndication.com
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