Asia/Pacific News
Malaysia Detains Four Ships for Illegal Fuel Transfers
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained four ships over alleged illegal transfers of fuel last week, New Strait Times reports.
MT Sinar Pik was caught transferring 123,740 litres of diesel to MT Sirikit in Pengerang on Monday, and the following day MT Continuum 1 was caught transferring 50,000 litres of marine fuel oil (MFO) and 30,000 litres of marine gas oil (MGO) to MT Patcharawadee 15 in Teluk Ramunia.
The MMEA determined that the tankers did not have permits or documents allowing the fuel transfers.
MT Patcharawadee 15 is registered in Bangkok, while the other three ships are registered in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
"We also detained 36 crew members, 18 of them Thais, 17 Indonesians and one Filipino," said Southern Region MMEA chief First Maritime Admiral Adon Shalan.
The ships were detained as part of an operation codenamed Operasi Telus which involved a number of government agencies.
The Johor Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Office also confiscated 2,200 litres of diesel from three tanker lorries at petrol kiosks and toll plazas and arrested three lorry drivers under the 1974 Control of Supplies Act, the news agency Bernama reports.
Last month, the MMEA said it foiled another fuel smuggling attempt.
