NANJING, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Customs authorities in eastern China's Jiangsu Province said that they intercepted more than 1,200 tonnes of smuggled gasoline in two tankers on the Yangtze River.
Customs police of the city of Nantong and local maritime and border inspection departments conducted a patrol earlier this week and found two suspicious oil tankers in the main waterway of the river.
Law enforcement officers required inspections of the two vessels, however, suspects on the tankers turned around and tried to flee. Two anti-smuggling boats immediately intercepted the two suspicious ships, and eight suspects were arrested.
A preliminary investigation showed one container was loaded with about 760 tonnes of gasoline and the other about 488 tonnes, worth 6.5 million yuan (928,000 U.S. dollars).
Further investigation is underway.
