Eight men arrested for illegal transaction of marine gas oil

SINGAPORE: Eight men were arrested on Friday (Oct 10) after they were allegedly involved in the illegal transaction of marine gas oil.

Officers from the Police Coast Guard conducted a routine check on a Singapore-registered tugboat in the waters off Tuas and discovered several crew members were allegedly involved in the transaction. Three people were arrested.

The officers then located and intercepted a foreign-registered tugboat in the area, where five others were arrested.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the crew members of the Singapore-registered tugboat were believed to have misappropriated the marine gas oil, valued at about S$6,917 (US$5,330), without their company’s knowledge by selling it to the crew members of the foreign-registered tugboat. 

The foreign-registered tugboat was seized.

A total of 92 sticks of duty-unpaid cigarettes were also uncovered in the possession of the crew members of the Singapore-registered tugboat. The duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized and referred to the Singapore Customs.

The three crew members of the Singapore-registered tugboat will be charged on Saturday with criminal breach of trust by employees. If convicted, they may be jailed for up to 15 years and fined.

The five crew members of the foreign-registered tugboat will be charged on Saturday with dishonestly receiving stolen property. The offence carries a jail term of up to five years, a fine, or both.

"The police take a serious view of illegal transactions of marine gas oil in Singapore waters," said the Singapore Police Force. 

"The authorities will continue to conduct enforcement and security checks to prevent, deter and detect such illicit activities in Singapore waters."