COALITION FORCES TAKE CONTROL OF TANKER ATTEMPTING TO SMUGGLE IRAQI OIL

2003-08-08 PR No. 28 COALITION FORCES TAKE CONTROL OF TANKER ATTEMPTING TO SMUGGLE IRAQI OIL Last night at approx 2300 local, coalition forces boarded and took control of M/V Navstar I, and have detained its crew. Seizure of the tanker follows discovery that the tanker was carrying at least 1100MT of unauthorized diesel fuel during a routine boarding on August 4, 2003. The ship was repeatedly directed to return to its last port of call. A boarding party from the HMS Sutherland led the operation with support from the USS Rodney M. Davis, USCGC Wrangell, and a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter. The coalition forces will take the M/V Navstar I back to the Port of Umm Qasr where the crew will be turned over to Iraqi police. Ambassador Bremer commented: “Smuggling oil and oil products is a crime against all Iraqis. Smugglers steal money from the Iraqi people, and the oil products which they need. The seizure of the M/V Navstar I demonstrates the commitment of the coalition forces and the Iraqi police to protecting Iraq’s assets, so that they can benefit all Iraqis, rather than the criminals. The criminals, who attempt to steal Iraq’s oil, once encouraged and abetted by the former regime, will now be found and prosecuted by the coalition and Iraqis working together.” Note to Editors: Film footage of the boarding operation is available from ABC News/New York.