Indonesia seizes Iranian-flagged tanker suspected of illegal oil transshipment

Indonesia seizes Iranian-flagged tanker suspected of illegal oil transshipment in Indonesia's North Natuna Sea. - Thomson Reuters

JAKARTA (Reuters): Indonesia's coast guard said on Tuesday (July 11) it has seized an Iranian-flagged supertanker suspected of involvement in the illegal transshipment of crude oil and vowed to strengthen maritime patrols.

A "shadow" fleet of tankers carrying oil from sanctioned Iran, Russia and Venezuela are transferring their cargoes in the Singapore Strait to avoid detection, according to a Reuters analysis earlier this year.