8 men arrested for alleged illegal transaction of marine gas oil at Tuas

Eight men were arrested for their alleged involvement in an illegal transaction of marine gas oil.

The arrests were made on Friday (Oct 10), when officers from the Police Coast Guard (PCG) discovered the alleged illegal transaction during a routine check on a Singapore-registered tugboat in the waters off Tuas.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the crew members of the Singapore-registered allegedly misappropriated the marine gas oil, which was valued at about $6,920.

They then allegedly sold it to crew members of a foreign-registered tugboat.

Three crew members on the Singapore-registered tugboat were arrested.

PCG officers also intercepted the foreign-registered tugboat in the vicinity, where five crew members on board were arrested and the tugboat was subsequently seized as a case exhibit.

Ninety-two sticks of duty-unpaid cigarettes were also found in the Singapore-registered tugboat, and were handed over to Singapore Customs.

The crew members of the Singapore-registered tugboat will be charged with the offence of criminal breach of trust by employees. If convicted, they will face a fine and jail terms of up to 15 years. 

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

All eight men will be charged in court on Oct 11. 

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dana.leong@asiaone.com