YANGON, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have arrested 17 suspects for illegally storing and selling fuel in western Myanmar's Sagaing region, the state-run daily The Mirror reported on Friday.
Acting on a tip-off, the authorities, including security personnel, raided fuel storage facilities in five locations in Sagaing township on Dec. 27, 2024, the report said.
They seized 22 vehicles and 60,545 gallons of various fuels. A total of 17 suspects were arrested in connection with the illicit fuel trade, the report said.
The investigation showed that the fuel had been transported from Mandalay. The suspects had been illegally storing fuels and distributing them at higher prices to conflict-affected areas in Sagaing, Kachin, and northern Shan state, it said.
The illegal storage and sale of fuel led to the emergence of a black market and destabilized the local fuel market, the report added.
The suspects have been charged under the country's law, it added. ■
