Ten men have been arrested for their suspected involvement in an illegal transaction of marine gas oil, said the police on Friday (Mar 25).

The men, aged between 32 and 49, were arrested by the Police Coast Guard (PCG) on Mar 23 in a joint operation with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) for illegally transacting three metric tons of marine fuel at sea, off Sembawang Shipyard.

Three were crew members of a Singapore-registered tugboat, and the remaining seven were crew members of a foreign-registered tugboat.

The foreign-registered tugboat and cash amounting to S$31,000 were seized.

The three crew members of the Singapore-registered tugboat will be charged in court on Friday with criminal breach of trust as servant, and the seven crew members of the foreign registered tugboat will be charged in court with dishonestly receiving stolen property.

If found guilty of criminal breach of trust as servant, an individual can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined. Those found guilty of receiving stolen property can be jailed for up to five years, fined, or both.

“The PCG and MPA take a serious view of illegal transactions of marine fuel in Singapore waters,” said the police.

“The PCG will continue to conduct enforcement and security checks to prevent, deter and detect such illicit activities in Singapore waters.”
Source: CNA