Shell MGO bunker heist: Bunker clerk jailed for role in SGD 13.6 mil misappropriated gas oil scheme

A bunker clerk for Sentek Marine & Trading (Sentek) was sentenced to four years and eight months’ jail on Tuesday (2 December) for his role in helping the company obtain more than 21,000 metric tonnes (mt) of misappropriated gas oil worth SGD 13.58 million (USD 9.99 million), according to The Straits Times.

Koh Koon Yian, 54, carried out the illicit activities on 36 occasions between August 2014 and May 2017.  He pleaded guilty to multiple charges of assisting Sentek Marine & Trading in acquiring gas oil that had been siphoned from Shell Eastern Petroleum’s Pulau Bukom facility.

According to the news report, Koh received at least $222,600 in criminal benefits during the scheme. He has since voluntarily returned the amount via a cashier’s order to an investigation officer.

Koh’s case is linked to Singapore’s largest marine gas oil heist. 

A group of rogue Shell employees had secretly misappropriated more than 200,000 mt of gas oil—valued at over $120 million—between August 2014 and January 2018. 

Members of the group, including Muzaffar Ali Khan Muhamad Akram and Juandi Pungot, were previously convicted and are no longer employed by Shell.

Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Director of Sentek face charge at State Courts of Singapore
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Shell employees sentenced to more than 23 years in prison each
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Former Shore Loading Officer receives 29-year jail sentence over total 85 charges

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 3 December, 2025