Authorities in Angola’s eastern Moxico province have seized over 15,000 litres of gasoline and hundreds of planks of illegal timber in a targeted operation aimed at disrupting fuel smuggling networks in the region, police announced on Tuesday.
The raid, carried out by the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) in the early hours of Thursday morning, uncovered 750 twenty-litre containers filled with gasoline, along with 232 planks of Mussivi wood—both stored inside an abandoned house in the Novo neighbourhood of Luena, the provincial capital.
“This was a micro-operation launched in response to reports of illicit trafficking,” the SIC stated.
The agency confirmed the bust occurred in the commune of Lucusse, and described the discovery as a major breakthrough in its campaign to curb contraband activity in the border province.
The origins and intended destination of the gasoline and timber remain unclear. Investigators are working to determine whether the cache was linked to cross-border smuggling networks operating in the region, which has long struggled with porous borders and weak regulation.
The seizure of Mussivi wood, a valuable species targeted by illegal logging operations, also highlights ongoing concerns over deforestation and unregulated timber exports in Angola.
The government has been under growing pressure from environmental groups and regional partners to increase enforcement of forest protection laws.
Authorities have not yet confirmed any arrests linked to the operation, but the SIC said the investigation is ongoing and more details will be released in due course.
Fuel smuggling remains a significant issue in Angola, where subsidised prices make gasoline a lucrative commodity on the black market, particularly in provinces near international borders.
The operation underscores the government’s broader efforts to strengthen its grip on illicit trade and protect both its economic and environmental interests in the resource-rich but vulnerable eastern provinces.
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