SINGAPORE, Jan 16 — A Vietnamese man allegedly involved in pilfering fuel from Shell was hit with two fresh charges this morning, bringing the total worth of gas oil he purportedly received illegally to over S$2.3 million (RM6.89 million).
Nguyen Duc Quang, 46, was this morning accused of abetting criminal breach of trust as a servant by dishonestly receiving S$1.6 million worth of gas oil purportedly stolen from Shell’s Pulau Bukom refinery in the wee hours of two days in October last year.
Court documents show that the gas oil was transferred onto a Panama-registered vessel, Prime South, which Nguyen was on, on October 2, and October 23.
A total of 2,407 metric tons of gas oil was transferred, the court was told.
When Nguyen was first charged in court last Tuesday, he was said to have conspired with his countryman Dang Van Hanh, 37, to dishonestly receive 1,260 metric tons of gas oil worth S$688,000 at around 7pm on January 7 this year.
No fresh charges were levelled against Dang this morning.
Details on the alleged multi-year, multi-million-dollar heist are still emerging, but so far, 14 out of 20 people arrested by police have been charged over the theft of gas oil valued at at least S$3.6 million.
Eight of the suspects are employees of Shell, which lodged a police report on suspected theft of fuel from its plant on a 243ha island located 6km southwest of Singapore in August last year.
In a sting operation on January 7, police nabbed 17 people, and seized more than S$3 million in cash and a 12,000-ton tanker.
Nguyen returns to court again on January 22.
Individuals charged so far
Shell employees:
Muzaffar Ali Khan Muhamad Akram, 36;
Juandi Pungot, 41;
Cai Zhi Zhong, 35;
Tiah Kok Hwee, 41;
Koh Choon Wei, 35;
Mohd Ibrahim K Abdul Majid, 52;
Abdul Latif Ibrahim, 59; and
Richard Goh Chee Keong, 48.
Alleged co-conspirator with some Shell employees:
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Nor, 51
Alleged recipients of stolen oil:
Nguyen Duc Quang, 46,
Dang Van Hanh, 37 (on Prime South),
Doan Xuan Than, 45 (on MT Gaea),
Alan Tan Cheng Chuan, 45, and
Ng Hock Teck, 54 (on Sentek 26).
What we know so far
October 2, 2017: Nguyen allegedly received 1,131 metric tons of gas oil valued at US$579,445 (RM2,291,994.70)
October 23, 2017: Nguyen allegedly received 1,276 metric tons of gas oil worth US$653,733
November 11, 2017: Muzaffar Ali, Juandi, Cai, Tiah, and Koh allegedly moved 300 metric tons of gas oil worth S$160,000 to Tan and Ng
November 14, 2017: Abdul Latif, Mohd Ibrahim and Goh allegedly moved 846.4 metric tons of gas oil worth S$465,520
November 21, 2017: Muzaffar Ali, Juandi, Cai, Tiah, and Koh allegedly moved 2,322 metric tons of gas oil worth S$1,277,430
December 31, 2017: Muzaffar Ali, Juandi, Cai, Tiah, and Koh allegedly moved 1,076.9 metric tons of gas oil worth S$592,295; Doan allegedly received 1,348.8 metric tons of gas oil worth S$736,444.80.
January 5: Abdul Latif, Mohd Ibrahim and Goh allegedly moved 801.86 metric tons of gas oil worth S$437,815.56
January 7: Muzaffar Ali, Juandi, Cai, Tiah, and Koh allegedly worked with Muhammad Ali to move 1,260 metric tons of gas oil worth S$687,960 to Nguyen and Dang. — TODAY
