Legal

Singapore: Hin Leong Trading Director charged with obstructing course of justice

Lim Huey Ching, daughter of Lim Oon Kuin, allegedly instructed an employee to ensure deleted items from computer servers could not be recovered.

Published

4 years ago

August 5, 2021

Admin

A Director of Hin Leong Trading (Pte) Ltd (Hin Leong) was charged with one count of obstructing the course of justice at the State Courts of Singapore on Monday (4 August), according to the Singapore Police Force.

Investigations by the Commercial Affairs Department into Hin Leong revealed that sometime on or about 13 April 2020, Lim Huey Ching had allegedly instructed a Hin Leong employee to ensure that deleted items from Hin Leong’s computer servers could not be recovered, and to permanently dispose of previous backups of information on Hin Leong’s computer servers.

Such instructions allegedly took place at a time when Hin Leong was facing probable civil or criminal proceedings.

The offence of the obstruction of the course of justice, punishable under Section 204A(b) of the Penal Code carries a punishment of an imprisonment term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.

Lim Huey Ching is the daughter of Hin Leong Founder Lim Oon Kuin, who is currently facing a total of 130 charges – 68 counts of cheating, one count of abetment of forgery of a valuable security, 14 counts of abetment of forgery for the purpose of cheating, and 47 counts of abetment of forgery.

An extensive coverage by Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times regarding the fall of Hin Leong can be found below:

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 5 August, 2021

Vessel Arrest

Singapore: Marshall Islands-flagged bulker “Alpha” placed under Sheriff’s arrest

Vessel was arrested at 1.11am on 21 March and is currently held at Eastern Special Purposes A Anchorage, A/5617C; arresting solicitor listed was law firm Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP.

Published

3 days ago

March 25, 2025

Admin

A Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier, Alpha, was arrested in Singapore waters on Friday (21 March).

The vessel was added to the list of vessels under Sheriff’s arrest in Singapore’s court system.

According to the list, the vessel was arrested at 1.11am and the arresting solicitor listed was law firm Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP. The ship is currently held at Eastern Special Purposes A Anchorage, A/5617C.

No details were provided in the list regarding the reason behind the arrest.

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Andy Ru
Published: 25 March, 2024

Sanctions

US OFAC sanctions first Chinese teapot refinery and oil tankers over Iranian links

Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical and its chief executive officer were added to OFAC’s sanctions list for purchasing and refining hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil.

Published

4 days ago

March 24, 2025

Admin

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Thursday (20 March) sanctioned a “teapot” oil refinery and its chief executive officer for purchasing and refining hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil, including from vessels linked to Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, and the Iranian Ministry of Defense of Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).

Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co., Ltd (Luqing Petrochemical), a teapot refinery in Shandong Province, has purchased millions of barrels of Iranian oil worth approximately half a billion dollars.

Luqing Petrochemical received Iranian oil transported by shadow fleet vessels, some of which have been sanctioned for their role transporting Iranian petroleum linked to the Houthis and MODAFL, including the MEHLE (IMO: 9191711) and the KOHANA (IMO: 9254082). In mid-2022, Luqing Petrochemical was identified as a buyer of Iranian oil associated with the Iranian military and Iranian military forces.

Luqing Petrochemical is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. PRC national Wang Xueqing serves as the chief executive officer and legal representative of Luqing Petrochemical, and is being concurrently designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Luqing Petrochemical.

“Teapot refinery purchases of Iranian oil provide the primary economic lifeline for the Iranian regime, the world’s leading state sponsor of terror,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

“The United States is committed to cutting off the revenue streams that enable Tehran’s continued financing of terrorism and development of its nuclear program.”

OFAC additionally imposed sanctions on 19 entities and vessels responsible for shipping millions of barrels of Iranian oil, comprising part of Iran’s “shadow fleet” of tankers supplying teapot refineries like Luqing Petrochemical.

Iranian crude oil is transported to teapot refineries via a “shadow fleet” of vessels that usually engage in deceptive shipping practices, including automatic identification system (AIS) manipulation.

OFAC sanctioned eight vessels that constitute part of this fleet, including the Comoros-flagged NATALINA 7 (IMO: 9310147), Panama-flagged CATALINA 7 (IMO: 9310159), AURORA RILEY (IMO: 9181649), and VIOLA (IMO: 9254915), San Marino-flagged MONTROSE (IMO: 9281695), Barbados-flagged VOLANS (IMO: 9422988) and BRAVA LAKE (IMO: 9232876), and the currently unflagged TITAN (IMO: 9293741).

Photo credit: tommao wang on Unsplash
Published: 24 March, 2025

Vessel Arrest

Malaysia: MMEA detains Singapore-flagged bulker for illegal anchoring in Perak

“Queen Harmony”, operated by an Egyptian captain along with one Russian, two Ukrainians and 17 Filipino crew members, was detained about 13 nautical miles northwest of Pulau Jarak.

Published

1 week ago

March 20, 2025

Admin

Malaysia: MMEA detains Singapore-flagged bulker for illegal anchoring in Perak

Perak Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on Tuesday (18 March) detained a Singapore-flagged bulk carrier for anchoring without permission about 13 nautical miles northwest of Pulau Jarak at 3.30pm on 17 March.

Perak MMEA director Maritime Capt Mohamad Shukri Khotob said the vessel, Queen Harmony, was operated by an Egyptian captain along with one Russian, two Ukrainians and 17 Filipino crew members.

Further investigation found that the ship failed to present any documents for permission to anchor and did not report their arrival in Malaysian waters.

The case is being investigated under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952, which carries a fine of not more than MYR 100,000 or a jail term of not more than two years, or both, for anchoring without permission. It is also being investigated for the offence of failing to report its arrival, which carries a fine of up to MYR 5,000.

Two crew members of the ship were taken to the Perak State Maritime Headquarters for further investigation.

Photo credit: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Published: 20 March, 2025