The police examine the office of the suspects. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐỒNG NAI — A husband and wife have been detained by police accused of illegally importing fake gasoline.

Police in Đồng Nai on Monday arrested Lê Thanh Tú, 55, and his wife Trần Thị Thanh Vân, 53, from Linh Trung Ward, Thủ Đức City in HCM City

They are director and manager of the Vân Trúc Trade and Services Co Ltd. They were allegedly buying illegally imported gasoline and fake gasoline and then distributed to the market for consumption.

The Vân Trúc Co Ltd has its head office in Bình Hòa Ward, Thuận An City in Bình Dương Province. In addition to the head office, Tú and Vân has 11 more branches in HCM City and Bình Dương Province.

Tú and Vân have built an inland waterway terminal that can accommodate ships carrying gasoline with a tonnage of 1,000 tonnes, using four ships with a tonnage of 400 to 1,000 tonnes and a warehouse with seven tanks, that can hold 4.5 million litres.

In addition to consumption at the petrol stations of the Vân Trúc Co Ltd, Tú and Vân are accused of distributing smuggled and fake gasoline to gas stations in southern provinces.

On average, more than 500 thousand litres of smuggled and fake gasoline per day are introduced to the market for consumption.

Police seized four boats, five trucks, more than VNĐ1.2 billion (US$51.8), 15 certificates of land use rights, and 1.7 kg of colorant which is used to prepare fake gasoline. — VNS