Four men are assisting police officers of the Central Division in connection with a suspected case of fuel bunkering.Police said the men were detained on Sunday night after officers from the Las Lomas Police Station, including Sgt Nash, Cpl John and constables Sammy, Ramsingh and Orcho, visited Ghandi Trace, off Madras Road, St Helena, and found several fuel tanks and tankers with diesel in them.When the T&T Guardian visited the scene yesterday four tanks were being examined by National Petroleum (NP) officers. One of the tanks was inside a 20-foot container ready to be transported.
The empty piece of land where the tankers were found is owned by a central businessman who told officers that he was leasing part of the land to another man.The tenant, police said, was believed to the be the mastermind involved in the diesel racket.Commenting on the issue yesterday Minister of Energy Kevin Ramnarine during an interview with i95.5 FM said the discovery was a "significant raid" when compared to recent raids. He added that the Finance Bill which is to be brought to Parliament soon would significantly increase the fine for the illegal export of diesel under the Customs Act.