Asia/Pacific News
Crew Arrested for Oil Smuggling in Thailand
Police in Central Thailand on Monday arrested four crew members of a modified fishing vessel for carrying, and trying to sell, 100,000 litres of untaxed diesel oil worth an estimated 2.5 million baht ($83,800), the Bangkok Post reports.
According to the report, the men told investigators they had been selling smuggled oil in the area for about two months.
The untaxed fuel had been provided by the vessel's owner, they added, who also ordered them to sell it while at sea.
Purchasing or possessing untaxed oil is illegal under regulations set by the Customs Department, and over the past 10 months it was said to have captured nine vessels and seized 467,650 litres of untaxed oil with a value of around 12 million baht ($400,000).
A report earlier this month said that in South East Asia marine gas oil (MGO) is increasingly being targeted for theft and resale by pirates.
