British Navy catch Iraqi oil smugglers

A British warship has intercepted an Iraqi tanker after it was discovered to be smuggling oil in an effort to dodge UN sanctions.

The HMS Portland was stationed in the northern Gulf monitoring activity in Iraq when it began to track the MV Devo.

When officers boarded the tanker it was found to be transporting 3,100 tons of illegal diesel oil out of Iraq.

One of the officers that was on board the vessel said that there were many obstacles on the tanker such as hatches welded shut and barbed wire on the deck.

The exporting of the oil was strictly against the sanctions that were imposed against Iraq by the UN after the Gulf War in 1990.

A limited amount of oil is permitted to be exported from the country in order to pay for vital food and medical supplies but illegal smuggling of oil is thought to raise billions of dollars for Iraq.