Asia/Pacific News
Ten Arrested in Singapore Over MGO Transaction
Ten men have been arrested in Singapore over an alleged illegal MGO transaction.
In a joint operation with Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority, officers from the Police Coast Guard arrested six crew members of a Singapore-registered tugboat and four from a foreign-registered tugboat on Thursday, Singapore's police said in a statement on the organisation's website last week.
The men, aged between 22 and 48, were suspected to be involved in an illegal transaction of MGO off Southern Tuas Basin.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that the crew members of the Singapore-registered tugboat were believed to have misappropriated the MGO without their company's knowledge by selling it to the crew members of a foreign-registered tugboat," the Singapore Police Force said in the statement.
"The tugboat and cash amounting to $8,000 were seized as case exhibits."
The crew of the Singapore-registered tug have been charged with criminal breach of trust as servant, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment and a fine. The crew of the foreign vessel have been charged with dishonestly receiving stolen property, which carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and a fine.
