Mae Sot crackdown nets 20,000 litres of diesel bound for Myanmar

Mae Sot authorities in the border province of Tak have confiscated 20,000 litres of diesel from a fuel truck as it was about to be transported across the border to Myanmar.

Officials in Mae Sot, along with a joint force of military, police and customs officers, inspected the truck at Ban Tha Art, Moo 3, in Tha Sai Luat sub-district.

The operation followed intelligence reports of a suspicious vehicle allegedly preparing to smuggle diesel across the border into Myawaddy in Kayin State, near a casino area.

The truck was found parked along the Moei River, and a search uncovered containers holding a total of 20,000 litres of diesel.

The driver and a Myanmar national were detained after admitting the fuel was intended for delivery across the border.

Officials also inspected a warehouse, where they found containers of diesel stored.

The seizure was the result of local residents alerting officials.

Local residents said they initially welcomed the sight of the delivery truck, given the ongoing fuel shortages, believing it was making a delivery.

The truck, however, bypassed several service stations and headed towards the border, eventually stopping in a secluded riverside area, where there are no fuel facilities.

Residents alerted authorities, prompting the inspection.

Fuel shortages have been affecting five border districts in Tak province, especially Mae Sot, where long queues of vehicles often stretch for kilometres outside service stations, which run dry within hours.

Authorities say border areas have become targets for smuggling networks, as neighbouring countries face similar supply constraints.

Tak governor Chusak Ruying has instructed all agencies to intensify efforts to crack down on illegal fuel smuggling.