From Reuters: Iraq is smuggling large shipments

of crude from its Gulf port of Khor al-Amaya in Baghdad’s most

successful contravention yet of United Nations sanctions, oil

industry and shipping sources said on Friday.

Shippers and traders contacted by Reuters said that six

tankers totalling nine million barrels had been chartered to

load from the port, located adjacent to Mina al-Bakr, one of two

U.N.-authorised outlets.

Even at discounted prices the crude would be worth about

$250 million on the international market….It remains unclear who exactly is the final customer for the

crude or where it is being discharged. Jordan is too small to

need such large volumes.