15 men arrested over alleged illegal sale of marine gas oil off Sultan Shoal lighthouse

SINGAPORE - Fifteen men, aged between 25 and 60, have been arrested for their suspected involvement in an illegal transaction of marine gas oil (MGO).

The police said that on May 4, the coast guard (PCG) received information that a foreign-registered tugboat and a Singapore-registered vessel were believed to be involved in an illegal sale of MGO, at the sea off Sultan Shoal lighthouse.

Preliminary investigations revealed that eight crew members of the Singapore registered vessel are believed to have misappropriated 1,000 litres of MGO without their company's knowledge, and selling it to the crew of the foreign registered tugboat. Seven crew members from the foreign registered tugboat are believed to have purchased the MGO. The foreign registered tugboat was seized for investigations.

Nine of the men are expected to be charged in court on May 5 with criminal breach of trust as servant. They face jail time which may extend to 15 years, and can also be fined.

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