The food cell officials on Saturday seized 20,000 litres of diesel and petrol being illegally transferred from one tanker to another for diverting it to another destination. Food Cell Superintendent of Police, Arumugham, said the drivers of the tankers, Anand of Cuddalore and Saravanan of Villupuram, have been arrested.
Acting on a tip-off, the food cell officials reached near Kalmandapam in Nettapakkam police station limits, when the petroleum product from a tanker of Indian Oil was being transferred to another tanker of Hindustan Petroleum.
Following this, the officials seized the tankers as well as the pump used for transferring the petroleum products and arrested Anand and Saravanan.
Saying that the value of the products seized was yet to be assessed, the food cell SP revealed that cases would be registered against the persons under the Essential Commodities Act.
Sources say that the petroleum products, thus transferred, could have been used for diverting to another destination or it could be sold off after adulteration (adding other petroleum products like kerosene).