Two Repsol executives detained in Bolivia

Two executives of the Spanish-Argentine energy company Repsol YPF were detained in Bolivia after they voluntarily testified before a prosecutor in an oil smuggling investigation, a company official said on Wednesday.

Photo: Two Repsol executives detained in Bolivia

The two men, Repsol YPF local president Julio Gavito and operations manager Pedro Sanchez, were detained Tuesday in Santa Cruz, said a Repsol spokesman. He was speaking on condition of anonymity because his office forbids him to be identified in public.

The Bolivian customs agency has alleged that the Repsol subsidiary Andina SA illegally exported more than US$9.2 million ( Ђ 7.9 million) of oil, or 230,000 barrels, to Argentina and Chile between 2004 and 2005.

After testifying before a prosecutor the two men were taken to a courthouse jail where they were to be questioned by a judge, the spokesman added, reports the AP.

I.L.