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More than 400 fake fuel licenses uncovered
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Azzaman - [6/8/2006]
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The authorities in the Shiite religious city of Najaf say they have uncovered 424 licenses which holders illegally used to purchase fuel at subsidized prices and resell on the spot market.
Holders had faked papers of ownership of agricultural machinery or small-scale generators entitling them to fuel rations every week.
On close examination, inspectors from the Oil Ministry discovered that the holders had obtained their licenses illegally and were selling their fuel rations at exorbitant rates locally.
“We have cancelled these licenses,” said Abduljabbar al-Isawi, head of the department in charge of the distribution of oil byproducts in Najaf.
Isawi did not say whether any punitive measures were taken against the licenses holders who many blame for the current fuel shortages in the city.
Observers say thousands of such illegal licenses have been issued and the corruption-mired ministry now finds it difficult to tell which license is fake or genuine.
Isawi said the holders of fake licenses in Najaf received “huge quantities” of fuel every week. He did not say how much exactly.
Isawi said fuel shortages were there to stay unless the Oil Ministry ended its corruptive practices.
He said there was a deficit of at least 30 million liters of gasoline in the three provinces in central Iraq apart from Baghdad.
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