SINGAPORE - The authorities have arrested 11 men for their suspected involvement in an illegal transaction of marine gas oil.

In a statement on Wednesday (Feb 20), the police said it had arrested the men aged between 22 and 44 in a joint operation with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Six of those arrested were from a craft belonging to a marine service provider, who are believed to have stolen two metric tonnes of marine gas oil.

They sold it to five crew members of a foreign-registered tugboat, which has been seized for investigations.

The Police Coast Guard arrested the 11 people in the sea off Jurong Island.

The six men from the marine service provider are expected to be charged on Thursday with criminal breach of trust as servant.

The five tugboat crew members are expected to be charged on the same day with dishonestly receiving stolen property.

In the statement, the PCG and MPA said they take a "serious view of illegal transaction 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," the statement added.