Mozambican authorities seized 40,000 liters of diverted fuel

Fuel intended for sale on the informal market in Niassa will be allocated to public institutions, during a time of supply crisis and rising prices in the country. Mozambican authorities recovered more than 40,000 liters of fuel diverted for sale on the informal market in Niassa province, which must be reverted to the State to meet the needs of institutions. “We managed to recover 40,000 liters of fuel that were being diverted from the formal system to be sold in the informal one,” stated the Secretary of State in Niassa province, Silva Fernando Livone, quoted today by the media.

the official guaranteed that there is no “stockout of fuels,” that inspection operations are continuing, and that those responsible for the diversions will be “held accountable.” Mozambique has faced fuel supply difficulties for several weeks, with stations closed across the country and widespread lines, as well as limits on the purchase of diesel or gasoline and a reduction in transport availability, following the conflict in the Middle East. According to the official of that northern Mozambican province, the 40,000 liters were recovered while being transported in a tanker truck, which “should have supplied a gas station and was diverted to the black market [informal] during the night.” The vehicle owner was intercepted and placed under judicial custody while attempting to sell the product, which was seized. “We recovered these 40,000 liters,” which will be reverted to the State and destined “for sensitive institutions such as the Police of the Republic of Mozambique [PRM], the Health sector, and others that need fuel,” the official announced.

In other operations involving the National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic), various quantities of fuel stored in 20-liter containers, totaling “more or less 400 liters,” were seized in private residences, the same official stated. “They were recovered and, naturally, the owner was taken into custody,” he pointed out. Livone indicated that a meeting was scheduled with gas station owners to determine the extent and motivations behind fuel hoarding, aggravated by the limited availability of the product at filling stations, which he considered “a matter of bad faith.” “It is truly a matter of bad faith to serve people very little to leave long lines and cause people to become stressed and begin practicing acts of corruption.

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Because later on, at midnight, the person returns and asks for it to be sold, even for 200 meticais per liter (€2.66),” the secretary added, promising severe measures to contain the situation. In Mozambique, as of today, diesel rises 45.5% and gasoline 12.1%, the Government announced, justifying the upward revision of fuels based on international prices. “For more than two months, the Government has been closely monitoring the evolution of the conflict in the Middle East and, as is general knowledge, this conflict has triggered a rise in fuel prices internationally and on the African continent,” said the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Energy Regulatory Authority (Arene), Paulo da Graça, in statements to journalists following the Council of Ministers in Maputo.

A liter of gasoline now costs 93.69 meticais (€1.23), compared to the previous 83.57 meticais (€1.10). The price of diesel moves from 79.88 meticais (€1.06) to 116.25 meticais (€1.54), illuminating paraffin from 66.86 meticais (€0.87) to 97.56 meticais (€1.29), cooking gas from 86.05 meticais (€1.14) to 87.82 meticais (€1.15) per kilogram, and vehicle natural gas from 41.11 meticais (€0.54) to 52.73 meticais (€0.69) per liter.

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