Egypt cracks down on fuel smuggling, safety violations

Egyptian authorities seized large quantities of petroleum products at a warehouse and uncovered safety and regulatory violations at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder filling factory in Giza, the state petroleum regulator said.

As part of routine inspections by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), officials found employees, transport contractors, and drivers diverting full truck shipments from a warehouse and manipulating official documents for personal gain. The preliminary value of the seized products is estimated at 7 million Egyptian pounds. The suspects have been suspended and referred to both the public and administrative prosecution.

Inspections also uncovered violations at fuel stations in Giza, Fayoum, and other governorates, including illegal diesel diversion to maritime sites and unlicensed factories, with fines totalling 3.5 million pounds.

At a Giza LPG cylinder factory, inspectors found underweight cylinders, defective sorting procedures, unsafe vehicles transporting gas, and faulty fire and alarm systems. The factory was temporarily closed, with production transferred to Petrogas facilities. A separate LPG storage site in Suez was also flagged for severe safety deficiencies, including nonfunctional fire equipment, rusted storage tanks, and workers without protective gear.

Authorities reviewed 26 fuel stations across Cairo, Giza, Damietta, Beheira, Alexandria, Red Sea, Gharbia, and Dakahlia, noting safety breaches and damaged firefighting equipment. Companies managing the stations were instructed to address violations promptly, and staff received safety awareness briefings.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser