Diesel smugglers to be hit with QAR1m fine, lengthy jail term

Anyone caught smuggling petroleum oil products will face a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine of up to QAR1 million, according to a new law that was issued yesterday.

This law was issued in an effort to halt the flourishing illegal diesel trading in the country. Local media have reported several incidents of smugglers being busted while ferrying diesel or other petroleum goods.

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued Law No. 6 of 2016 on combating the smuggling of petroleum products and their illicit transaction, The Peninsula reported.

Anyone caught selling or reselling his oil quota or using it for another purpose will face jail term of not more than 3 years and fine not exceeding QAR500,000 or either of the two.

Oil products includes all products from an oil refinery. This includes diesel, gas, oil, LPG, benzene, petrol, kerosene, jet fuel, engine oil and lubricants.

The law does not allow sale or resale of these products without licence, using forged documents to deal with these products using quota allocated for specific jobs for other purpose.

The law has authorised inspectors from Qatar Petroleum with judicial powers approved by the attorney general in agreement with the Ministry of Energy and Industry to seize violators and confirm crimes to the provision of this law. [The Peninsula]

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