The department of economic development in Umm Al Quwain has nabbed four vehicles for illegally transporting diesel products.

Each driver was ordered to pay a hefty fine of Dh6000 a top official has said.

Mansur bin Rashid Al Kharji director-general of the department of economic development said the four modified pickup vehicles were seized during inspection campaigns.

"The drivers of these cars did not have the licence to transport diesel and were fined."

Tankers used to transport diesel must meet certain stringent specifications to ensure safety and protection he added.

"There is a certain amount of fuel that each tanker can transfer and that differs from one to another as per the bodies concerned so that they can run on the road in a safe and balanced way."

Al Kharji said the drivers of these cars are not specialised or qualified to properly handle the transfer of fuel of inflammable products.

"Such illegal practices shall be dealt with in a stringent way" he said urging all members of society to stop transferring these products in unprepared or unfit vehicles.

Al Kharji warned that last year at least three accidents involving vehicles transporting fuel illegally were reported last year in a nearby emirate. Some of the smugglers burned to death.

"Staff inspectors have been deployed to crack down on the illegal sale and transfer of cheap diesel."

The smugglers were using modified vehicles with larger fuel tanks to smuggle fuel from petrol stations to other provinces or even outside the country he elaborated.

He said some garages were believed to be illegally modifying the fuel tanks of normal cars placing larger or hidden tanks in the vehicle to be used for smuggling fuel.

"It is not reasonable for a saloon vehicle for example to fill its small tank every week with Dh1000 of fuel. A hidden tank was discovered later inside the car to be used in smuggling diesel and fuel products in violation of law."