The naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have seized a ship with smuggled fuel in the Persian Gulf, Mehr reported.

Chief Judge of Hormozgan Province Mojtaba Gahremani issued a statement on Saturday, noting that a vessel with 42,000 liters of smuggled fuel was seized in the waters of the Persian Gulf after the reconnaissance activities of the fifth naval zone of the IRGC in the waters of the Persian Gulf.

Four members of the ship's crew were also detained and handed over to provincial judicial authorities, he added.

On April 24, 14 and 9, the IRGC Navy seized three foreign ships in the Persian Gulf with 200,000 liters, 250,000 liters and 220,000 liters of smuggled fuel, respectively.

These incidents come after a series of hijackings of smuggling ships by the Iranian Navy in the shipping lanes through the Persian Gulf, where most of the world's oil is produced and shipped.