Shady triangle: South-east Asia's illegal fuel market
Some officials put the value of the illegal trade in the region at US$2-3 billion per year
[SINGAPORE] AN ALLEGED oil heist in Singapore that has already led to 20 arrests, and the seizure of at least one tanker and allegations that thieves siphoned thousands of tonnes of fuel from Shell's biggest refinery is shining a spotlight on an illegal trade worth tens of billions of dollars worldwide.
Working routes in a triangle of sea anchored by Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore and encompassing the oil facilities of Malaysia, the smugglers take advantage of a difficult-to-patrol sea and enticing black market prices, experts said.
The suspects in the latest case are accused of stealing oil from Royal Dutch Shell's Pulau Bukom refinery, often during business hours, and distributing it around the region.
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