SINGAPORE - Seven men were arrested on Tuesday (Jan 29) for an alleged illegal transaction of 2.7 tonnes of marine gas oil at the sea off Pulau Sudong.

In a statement on Thursday (Jan 31), the police said that the men, aged between 33 and 44, were nabbed in a joint operation with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Pulau Sudong is an island off the southern coast of Singapore.

Three of them were crew members of a craft belonging to a marine service provider, and the other four were members of a foreign-registered tugboat.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the three crew members had allegedly misappropriated 2.7 tonnes of marine gas oil without their company's knowledge.

They then sold it to the four crew members of the tugboat.

The tugboat has been seized for investigations.

"The police coast guard and MPA take a serious view of illegal transaction of marine fuel in Singapore waters," the statement said.

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