Muscat, Oman – May 17, 2025
Five expatriates of Asian nationality have been arrested by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) for stealing diesel from oil concession areas in the Sultanate. The arrests were carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Oil and Gas Installation Security Police, following a targeted operation based on intelligence monitoring suspicious activity in the region.
According to an official statement issued by the ROP, the suspects were caught red-handed siphoning diesel from restricted zones designated for oil and gas operations. The stolen fuel was reportedly intended for illegal resale or smuggling, though authorities have yet to disclose the full scale of the operation.
Legal proceedings have been initiated, and further investigations are underway to determine whether the suspects were part of a larger network involved in fuel theft across the country.
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in Oman. In previous years, authorities have arrested several groups of expatriates for similar offenses, including the illegal storage and sale of diesel in oil concession zones. These repeated crimes have prompted security forces to intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts in key industrial areas.
The Royal Oman Police have reiterated their commitment to protecting the nation’s energy resources and warned that anyone involved in the theft, smuggling, or illegal trade of fuel will face strict legal consequences.
The authorities have reaffirmed that strict measures will be taken against anyone found tampering with national resources.
