China court sentences 23 people to jail for smuggling fuel

[BEIJING] An court in eastern China has sentenced 23 people to jail of up to 15 years for smuggling refined fuel, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.

They were found to have smuggled more than 35,000 tonnes of refined oil since 2013, and authorities confiscated two oil tankers, Xinhua citied the customs administration of Nanjing city as saying.

China has stepped up efforts to crack down on fuel smuggling, which has increased after authorities raised consumption taxes on oil products in 2014, creating gaps between prices abroad and at home.

REUTERS