The Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, Néstor Reverol, reported arrests on Friday, March 6, of the president of PDV Marina, Oswaldo José Vargas Peña, and his assistant, Rubén Guzmán, for the alleged fuel smuggling, using the “Negra Hipolita” ship.
The ship was carrying 40 thousand barrels of 91 octane gasoline, 36 thousand barrels of diesel and 50 barrels of Jet A1.
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According to the statements of the Minister for Internal Relations, Justice and Peace, Nestor Reverol, the vessel sailed from the Paraguaná Refining Complex and was destined for the Maritime Terminal of La Guaira, in Catia La Mar, but the crew turned off the radar and GPS location services and diverted the course of the ship to commit the crime, which involved a Colombian flag ship.
The incident was recorded on video and it shows how the fuel is transferred from Negra Hipólita to the “Panamean Glory ” ship, flying the Colombian flag.
However, Venezuelan authorities were alerted by ship workers, and the Bolivarian Navy detected the irregular operation, intercepted the tanker and proceeded to escort it to the San Agustín Armarino Naval Base in Puerto Cabello, where the first arrests associated with these events occurred.
Along with Vargas Peña and his assistant, six other people were also arrested, linked to this subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).
“We had been denouncing Oswaldo Vargas for using oil tankers for fuel trafficking,” posted Eudis Girot, director of the Federation of Petroleum Workers on twitter on the capture of Vargas Peña, aka “El Alacrán”.
Reverol said that President Nicolás Maduro has ordered a thorough investigation, “no matter who falls”, amid the current restructuring that is being carried out within PDVSA.
PDV Marina is responsible for sea and river transportation of hydrocarbons from PDVSA.
Translated by JRE/EF
