Asia/Pacific News
Ship's Captain Arrested Over Black Market Bunker Scam
Mumbai Police have arrested the captain of cargo ship Kresh Jade, 42-year-old Shamshul Bakhri, in conection with an alleged black market bunker scam, Iocal media reports.
Indonesian national Bakhri, said to be the seventh suspect arrested in case, is reported to have been brought before a local court last Thursday and has been charged under a number of sections of the Indian Penal Code, such as criminal conspiracy, as well as sections of the Petroleum Act, Essential Commodities Act, and Black Marketing Act.
The other six suspects are reported to have been arrested the previous week during a December 2 raid approximately five nautical miles off the Mumbai coast in which 11,000 litres of oil was seized.
A senior police officer, commenting on the case, explained that vessels are often provided a quota by their shipping companies for the amount of bunkers to be carried according to the vessel's intended route length.
"In some cases, the oil is saved by shutting down one of the engines, and the reserve is then sold to men who in turn sell it in the black market at a lower rate," said the officer.
In this case, it is reported that the six people arrested during the December 2 raid were using a rubber tug to transfer diesel from Karesh Jade, which officials say would have been later sold to fishermen, among others, at discounted prices.
"This is a hazardous activity which could lead to an oil spill or a fire in the high sea. The arrest of a cargo crew member is significant and will help curb the smuggling," said another official.
In October, the Nigerian Navy said it had arrested five vessels and a Cotonou boat for illegal bunkering after operators of the vessels were allegedly caught illegally discharging 108,000 litres of diesel from a private jetty in Port Harcourt.
