Business

Shell MGO bunker heist: Bunker clerk pleads guilty to helping Sentek acquire misappropriated fuel

Wong Wai Meng, who received more than USD 286,000 from Sentek Marine & Trading for his assistance, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of intentionally helping the firm acquire the misappropriated marine gas.

Published

3 days ago

on

December 2, 2024

By

Admin

A bunker clerk, Wong Wai Meng, who received more than USD 286,000 (SGD 384,681) from Singapore-based Sentek Marine & Trading (Sentek) for his assistance, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of intentionally helping the company acquire misappropriated marine gas oil, The Straits Times reported on Friday (29 November).

The 58-year-old Singaporean was employed at the Sentek when he assisted in acquiring more than 28,000 metric tonnes (mt) of the misappropriated fuel worth USD 13.58 million (SGD 18.26 million).

Wong committed the offences over 46 occasions between August 2014 and December 2017.

Wong is among the three bunker clerks previously employed by Sentek, who were charged for offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

Another bunker clerk among the three charged, Wong Kuin Wah, 61, was sentenced to seven years and six months’ jail on 18 November for his role in misappropriating more than 27,000 tonnes of gas oil worth around USD 12.8 million (SGD 17.2 million).

The third individual who was charged, Boo Pu Wen, reportedly passed away in July 2023 and had his charges abated following his death, meaning Boo’s court proceedings over his 19 charges at the time came to an end.

Former Shell employees, who were key members of a group who dishonestly misappropriated fuel from Shell Pulau Bukom, were sentenced to jail in court earlier.

Earlier coverage of developments by Manifold Times regarding the Shell MGO bunker heist can be found below:

Photo credit: Katrin Bolovtsova
Published: 2 December, 2024

Crime

Vietnam: Fishing vessel arrested over 75,000 litres of unknown origin diesel oil

Initial investigation found the ship, which had four crew members on board, to be transporting more than 75,000 litres of diesel oil with no documents proving its legal origin.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

November 22, 2024

By

Admin

Vietnam: Fishing vessel arrested over 75,000 litres of unknown origin diesel oil

The Vietnam Coast Guard on Tuesday (19 November) said it detained fishing vessel KG-91054-TS about 18 nautical miles from Nam Tho Chu.

The Coast Guard discovered the ship at 12.05 pm on 18 November displaying several suspicious signs and ordered the fishing vessel to stop for administrative inspections.

The authority proceeded to inspect the vessel, which had 4 crew members on board, and found it to be transporting about 75,000 litres of diesel oil with no invoices or documents proving its legal origin.

As such, it escorted the fishing vessel to Phu Quoc, Kien Giang and handed it over to the Command of Coast Guard Region 4 for further investigation and handling in accordance with the provisions of law.

Photo credit: Vietnam Coast Guard
Published: 22 November, 2024

Legal

Shell MGO bunker heist: Bunker clerk sentenced to 7.5 year in jail

Wong Kuin Wah, 61, reportedly helped the Singapore-based company he worked to acquire misappropriated gas oil and committed the offences over 45 occasions between August 2014 and January 2018.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

November 20, 2024

By

Admin

A bunker clerk, previously employed by Sentek Marine & Trading Pte Ltd (Sentek), was sentenced to seven years and six months’ jail on 18 November for his role in misappropriating more than 27,000 tonnes of gas oil worth around USD 12.8 million (SGD 17.2 million), The Straits Times reported.

Wong Kuin Wah, 61, reportedly helped the company acquire the gas oil and committed the offences over 45 occasions between August 2014 and January 2018.

The firm was involved in buying and selling fuels, including gas oil, at the time of the offences, with Wong assigned to a bunkering vessel called Sentek 26.

The Singaporean pleaded guilty to 12 counts of facilitating the receipt of the misappropriated fuel.

Wong also had 12 graft charges withdrawn and the court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for them.

Manifold Times previously reported three bunker clerks, previously employed by Sentek, being charged in Court for offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

They were Singaporeans Wong Kuin Wah, Wong Wai Meng, and Boo Pu Wen.

It was alleged that Wai Meng, Kuin Wah and Pu Wen intentionally aided Sentek in acquiring property which was another person’s benefits from criminal conduct, by assisting to receive on board their respective vessels, gasoil which had been dishonestly misappropriated from Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd’s facility (Shell Pulau Bukom). They were charged for offences under Section 47(3) of the CDSA, read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, and punishable under Section 47(6)(a) of the CDSA.

Former Shell employees, who were key members of a group who dishonestly misappropriated fuel from Shell Pulau Bukom, were sentenced to jail in court earlier.

Earlier coverage of developments by Manifold Times regarding the Shell MGO bunker heist can be found below: