LAGOS, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian Navy said it has arrested nine suspected oil thieves in the southern Delta state in its ongoing "Operation Water Sweet" .
About 42 illegal refining camps, 3,000 metric tons of suspected stolen crude oil and 1,000 metric tons of illegally refined diesel were destroyed during the operation, Mohammed Garba, the navy's commanding officer, told reporters Monday in commercial city of Warri.
The feat was achieved in the last one week, he added.
The operation also led to several arrests, including three high profile members of the criminals involved in pipeline vandalism, he said.
Oil theft had drastically reduced the nation's oil revenues, Garba added, noting that the Nigerian Navy would have zero tolerance on oil theft and other crimes at the sea.
The naval boss said some of the criminals have been interrogated and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services for further investigation and possible prosecution.
