Petroleum pilferage racket busted at Alto-Dabolim

VASCO, AUG 23
Verna police on Monday busted a major petroleum pilferage racket near a hotel at Alto-Dabolim in Vasco.
It is learnt that the racket had been in operation since the last few years, but the Zuari Indian Oil Tanking Ltd (ZIOTL) was made aware of the pilferage only about 20 days ago when some unknown people informed them.
A 2-metre deep tapping connection was made to the underground pipeline that runs from the Mormugao Port to the oil depot at ZIOTL in Zuarinagar-Sancoale.
The 20-inch diameter pipeline that supplies petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, naphtha and kerosene had nearly one inch diameter hole which was connected with an L-shaped reducer pipe.
An oil company worker had to dig nearly 2 mtrs deep to remove the tapping connection.
“It appears that the tapping connection was carried out with meticulous planning to ensure that no leakage occurs when oil is siphoned off from the tapping connection”, claimed a police official.
“A tapping hole of nearly one inch, made on a pipeline of over 20-inch diameter, does not affect the pressure measurement when fuel is siphoned off”, added the police official.
“Basic methodology to check oil pilferage is pressure measurement. When fuel is released from ships, the pressure measured should match when it reaches the oil depot”, said police.
Verna Police Inspector Jivba Dalvi informed that after ZIOTL lodged the complaint, they detected the pilferage and traced the tapping line connected to the pipeline laid alongside the NH-17B at Alto-Dabolim.
“It is not yet known since when the pilferage has been going on. But since the last 20 days, the pipeline was empty as there was no consignment supplied from the port to the oil depot”, said PI Dalvi.
PI Dalvi is confident that police will crack the case shortly.
It is learnt that a car, which used to remain parked at the place where the tapping connection was detected with the motive of hiding the pilferage, is yet to be traced. Tyre marks of a tanker in the compound area, where connection was detected, were also clearly visible.
Despite repeated efforts, ZIOTL officials declined to comment. An officer from the Accounts Section of ZIOTL said they have informed Verna police about the pilferage and asked the media to get in touch with the police, since the ZIOTL does not have a public relations officer.
Verna police has registered an offence against unknown persons under Sections 379, 285 and Section 23 of Petroleum Act 1934 and is investigating the case.