Singapore’s Police Coast Guard (PCG) has arrested ten men aged between 32 and 49, for their suspected involvement in an illegal transaction of Marine Gas Oil (MGO).
On 23 March 2022, in a joint operation with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the PCG arrested three crew members of a Singapore-registered tugboat and another seven crew members of a foreign-registered tugboat for an illegal transaction of MGO at sea, off Sembawang Shipyard. 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 25 March 2022 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.
The offence of criminal breach of trust as servant carries an imprisonment term of up to 15 years and a fine. The offence of receiving stolen property carries an imprisonment term of up to five years, a fine, or both.
The PCG and MPA take a serious view of illegal transactions of marine fuel in Singapore waters. The PCG will continue to conduct enforcement and security checks to prevent, deter and detect such illicit activities in Singapore waters
PCG stated.