Criminal syndicate convicted of tampering with MFMs to cheat over US$300k worth of marine fuel oil

Nine members of a criminal syndicate have been convicted in 2020 and 2021 for offences under the Computer Misuse Act, for using industrial strength magnets to tamper with the Mass Flow Meter (“MFM”) equipment on board bunker tankers Southernpec 6 and Southernpec 7 to cheat buyers of marine fuel oil (“MFO”). The buyers were cheated of US$336,930.63 worth of MFO in total. The matter was jointly investigated by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (“MPA”) and the Singapore Police Force (“SPF”).

According to the outcomes of the cases, three masterminds and six cargo officers have been sentenced to 34 to 7 months' imprisonment (one cargo officer was conficted to 2 weeks' imprisonment).

To uphold the integrity of the bunker process in the Port of Singapore, MPA has mandated the use of MFMs for the delivery of MFO as it provides assurance to both buyers and suppliers on the delivered quantity of MFO, and enhances transparency in the bunkering process.

The criminal syndicate’s tampering with MFMs on bunker tankers Southernpec 6 and Southernpec 7 was conceptualised by the masterminds, and carried out by the cargo officers on board.  The syndicate’s illegal operations were discovered during an enforcement check by MPA in April 2019.  MPA revoked the bunker craft operator and bunker supplier licence of Southernpec (Singapore) Pte Ltd with effect from 8 May 2019 and 29 May 2019 respectively. The modus operandi of the syndicate is set out in Annex A.

The authorities take a serious view of such criminal activities and will not hesitate to take firm action against those who commit offences that undermine Singapore’s international reputation as a trusted shipping and bunkering hub.