The defendants, some of whom were expatriates, were charged with buying large amounts of government-subsidized diesel through several gas stations they owned and selling it on to buyers outside the country.

They also committed a number of other crimes, including money laundering, counterfeiting and violating banking control rules, a Public Prosecution official said.

As well as the prison sentences, the suspects had the profits of their criminal activity seized and were fined in excess of SR29 million ($7.7 million).

The gas stations through which the crimes were committed were also stripped of their licenses and banned from dealing with public entities in the future.

The Public Prosecution did not say how many of the suspects were foreign nationals but said those that were would be deported after completing their sentences.