BEIJING - Shanghai customs officers have seized 1,700 metric tons of illegally imported oil worth 15 million yuan ($2.35 million), the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said Sept 19.

Customs officers seized five smuggling vessels and detained 41 suspects during the bust, according to the GAC. The two smuggling groups believed to be involved in the case have smuggled over 420 million metric tons of refined oil worth 250 million yuan since last July, the GAC said.

On July 20, the GAC launched a four-month national campaign to combat oil smuggling in nine coastal provinces. Customs officers have cracked 243 cases involving nearly 300,000 metric tons of refined oil as of Sept 10.