An unnamed Thai vessel was carrying 130,000 liters of diesel without proper authorization. Authorities seized the vessel while in the act of transferring fuel to a Vietnamese boat on Saturday, 26th September 2015 near the Vietnamese exclusive economic zone.
A crew comprising of Eleven men are taken to Phu Quoc Island for further investigation. Upon questioning, the crew admitted to frequent illegal diesel transactions with Vietnamese fishing vessels while at sea.
In a similar incident that occurred two months ago, Vietnamese coast guard apprehended two Thai-flagged oil tankers – when they tried to transfer fuel illegally into Vietnamese fishing vessels. The authorities have stepped up their guard against illegal fuel smuggling activities in and around Phu Quoc.
Source: Thanh Nien Daily
