Gulf of Thailand Oil Smugglers Caught

Police in Prachuap Khiri Khan arrest 4 crew of a fishing boat modified to carry 100,000 ltrs of untaxed diesel oil.

The men confessed that the oil was provided by the vessel's owner, who ordered them to sell it while at sea, which they had been doing in that area of the Gulf of Thailand for about two months, reports the Bangkok Post.

A team led by Nimit Saengampai, director of the Investigation and Suppression Bureau of the Customs Department, tracked down the vessel and arrested the captain, Panat Chaengsawang, and three crewmen near Koh Rad.

The Customs Department has captured nine vessels and seized 467,650 litres of untaxed oil, worth around 12 million baht, over the past 10 months.

Source: Bangkok Post