Border guards examine diesel oil carried on Võ Văn Ngót's cargo ship on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hiền

BẾN TRE — About 16,000 litres of diesel oil of unknown origin are being held at Cửa Đại Border Guard Station in the southern province of Bến Tre as investigations are conducted into whether the goods were part of a smuggling case, head of the station Major Hùng Trung Dũng announced on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the station’s border guards, working with a task force from Border Guard High Command, stopped a cargo ship carrying the oil. Captain Võ Văn Ngót from Bình Đại District, Bến Tre Province failed to show any legal documents proving the origins of the oil.

Ngót admitted to the border guards he had bought the oil from other waterway vehicle operators and he planned to sell it at a higher price.

Waterway vehicles do not often use the full allotment of fuel they receive from the companies that hire them. Drivers frequently sell on the extra to earn some spare cash.

Forces are continuing to investigate. — VNS