The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a warehouse containing about 10,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in the Eleme Express area of Rivers State.

The discovery, made during an anti-crude oil theft operation, has exposed what the Navy described as a suspected storage and distribution point in the illicit petroleum supply chain.

Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, stated that the operation was carried out on September 12 by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder during a patrol of the Eleme-Okrika-Onne general area.

According to the Navy, the suspected illegally refined product was stored in 400 jerrycans, each containing 25 litres, and was believed to have been kept at the location for onward sale.

The Navy, however, said no illegal refining site was discovered at the location.

Beyond the quantity recovered, the operation was significant because it disrupted a suspected link in the illicit petroleum supply chain, denying operators a facility to accumulate and distribute illegally refined products to the market.

The Navy said the action would help constrain the commercial network that sustains illegal refining activities in the area. It added that the recovered products had been handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.

No arrest was made, as the suspected operators reportedly fled after sighting the patrol team.