The Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft, operating under Operation Delta Sanity, has successfully intercepted a Motor Tanker SWEET MIRI on Saturday, March 2, 2024, preventing the potential theft of about two million liters of crude oil.
The Navy, which disclosed this via its official handle on X (formerly Twitter), said the ship was earlier on its watch list.
The vessel, long flagged as a point of interest, was apprehended approximately 174 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria, bound for the neighbouring Benin Republic.
The arrested vessel, with 13 crew members (comprising one Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians), had deliberately disabled its Automatic Identification System to evade detection.
The detained ship is now at the disposal of relevant agencies for comprehensive and independent investigations into the alleged crude oil theft.
Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral MB Hassan, stated: “Motor Tanker SWEET MIRI has been a known Vessel of Interest on the Navy’s watch list, and our vigilance has paid off in preventing a significant loss of valuable resources.”
He added that the Nigerian Navy was intensifying efforts to identify and apprehend the masterminds behind the attempt to steal the two million litres crude oil.
