KARACHI, Feb 3: A huge quantity of POL products is being smuggled from Iran through specially designed boats fitted with a mechanical discharge system, official sources said on Sunday.

Iranian vessels empty out POL products into these boats and the entire process of loading and unloading takes place within the territorial waters of Pakistan near its coastline.

Until now, the sources said, Iranian POL products came to Pakistan through the land route of Chaman, but smuggling has witnessed a big jump recently after petroleum prices rose sharply in the country.

They said that on an average the specially designed boats had three to four tanks with a capacity of 30,000 to 40,000 litres. It is difficult to spot these boats because they move in a flotilla of fishing boats.

Recently, the Anti-Smuggling Organisation seized one such boat with six crew members near the coast of Hawkes Bay and Mubarak Village.

The sources said a search revealed there were tanks fitted to the wooden boat. Filled with diesel, each tank had a mechanical discharge system connected with a pump operated by a generator.

During a detailed examination at the Karachi Port it was found that the tanks were loaded with 31,000 litres of diesel.

During a preliminary inquiry, the crew said that diesel was loaded from an Iranian wooden boat which had a double cabin to conceal the smuggled items.

The sources said that three samples had been taken from each tank for chemical analysis and the suspects were produced before a special judge.