Over 8,000 litres of illicit fuel worth HK$250,000 seized, driver arrested

Hong Kong authorities have arrested a man and seized more than 8,000 litres (2,100 gallons) of illegal fuel worth HK$250,000 (US$32,000), the latest in a string of similar cases amid conflict in the Middle East that has pushed up global oil prices.A police spokesman said on Friday that a joint operation with the Fire Services Department and the Customs and Excise Department the day before had led to the arrest of a 61-year-old driver linked to about 4,000 litres of suspected black market diesel.Customs officers also seized 4,100 litres of suspected illicit petrol from two lorries on Container Port Road South in the operation.“The Fire Services Department and customs have removed the illicit fuel involved in the case, and will apply to the court for a confiscation order,” the spokesman said.Global fuel prices have surged since the start of the US-Israel war against Iran in late February and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key passageway for the Middle East oil and gas trade.Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, stood at US$107.32 on Friday.According to data from the Hong Kong Consumer Council, pump prices for petrol on the same day ranged from HK$31.79 to HK$32.19, while the pump price for diesel was HK$32.57 to HK$33.17.