Gibraltar's police and coastguard, aided by British Royal Marines, detained a supertanker on Thursday suspecting of carrying crude oil to Syria in violation of sanctions, the territory's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said.

 

"We have reason to believe that the 'Grace 1' was carrying its shipment of crude oil to the Banyas Refinery in Syria," Picardo said in a statement.

 

"That refinery is the property of an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria."