"Fuel Mafia" suspect held in Szczecin

The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Szczecin has apprehended Tomasz K. one of the chief characters in the so-called Fuel Mafia case and will appeal to court for permission to hold him on remand. Tomasz K., who is suspected of directing an organized crime ring illegally importing diesel, maintains his innocence. The man has already been accused of producing diesel without paying excise duty in 2000 which cost the Treasury an estimated at zl. 1.3 million. This time the sum in question is zl. 9 million. The case of Tomasz K. is closely related to several others which also resulted in arrests of the guilty party. Last year Wojciech J., the head of Kamar, was detained for illegally importing diesel as heating oil, which cost the budget zl. 4 million. Soon afterwards, three businessmen of Ciechanow-based Best Oil were arrested and also charged with the same offense. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4) J.K.