Seven Held On Oil Smuggling Charges

PHANG NGA: One vessel was impounded and seven suspects arrested following a raid on an oil smuggling boat operating in the waters off Khura Buri district. Marine police boarded the Chok Krating 7 off the coast of Surin Island at around 10 o’clock Saturday night and took the vessel’s skipper and crew, all Thais, into custody after discovering a total of 200,000 liters of illegal diesel fuel. They also seized radar and walkie talkie equipment as well as record books indicating sales of 5,618 liters of oil at 6.70 baht per liter to local fishing trawlers. The suspects were remanded into the custody of Phuket Marine Police and are awaiting arraignment on customs violations.