S'pore tugboat crew allegedly tried to sell fuel to foreign vessel without their company's knowledge
Eleven men aged between 32 and 58 were arrested in the early hours of Feb 22 for their suspected involvement in an illegal transaction of marine gas oil (MGO).
Arrested by the Police Coast Guard at sea off Selat Pauh, they were crew members of two tugboats, said the police in a news release.
Preliminary investigations revealed that four crew members of the Singapore-registered vessel allegedly misappropriated MGO valued at about $5,000 without their company's knowledge.
The fuel was allegedly intended to be sold illegally to seven crew members of the foreign-registered tugboat for personal financial gain.
The four members of the Singapore crew were to be charged in court on Feb 23 with the offence of criminal breach of trust by employees, which carries an imprisonment term up to 15 years and a fine.
The seven foreign crew members were also expected to be charged on the same day with attempting to dishonestly receive stolen property, which carries an imprisonment term up to five years, a fine or both.
This is at least the second such case reported this month. On Feb 11, Police Coast Guard officers arrested 18 crew members from three tugboats for allegedly misappropriating marine gas oil valued at about $13,670 without their company's knowledge.
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