SINGAPORE — The suspects behind the multi-million dollar Shell fuel heist began misappropriating oil from the energy giant’s Pulau Bukom plant as early as July last year, it emerged on Thursday (Jan 18) as fresh charges were levelled against three men.

Two of them — Singaporeans Alan Tan Cheng Chuan, 45 and Ng Hock Teck, 54 — were slapped with an additional charge each in connection with dishonestly receiving about 764.81 metric tons of marine gas oil valued at more than S$250,000 on the night of July 24, 2017.

The duo, who allegedly collected the fuel from a wharf located at Shell’s Pulau Bukom refinery, had earlier on Saturday been charged with dishonestly receiving 300 metric tons of gas oil worth S$160,000 on Nov 11 last year.

In all, they faced two charges each of abetting the commission of an offence of criminal breach of trust as servant.

The third suspect who received an additional charge on Thursday was Vietnamese national Doan Xuan Than, 45, who had been previously charged with dishonestly receiving about 1,350 metric tons of gas oil worth S$736,000 on Dec 31 last year.

According to the fresh charge against Doan, he also retrieved about 1,133 metric tons of gas oil worth US$640,000 (S$847,041) from a Pulau Bukom wharf on Dec 1.

So far, 14 out of 20 people arrested by police in connection with the fuel heist have been charged over the theft of gas oil valued at almost S$6.5 million.

Eight of the suspects are employees of Shell, which lodged a police report in August last year on the suspected fuel theft.

In a sting operation on Jan 7, police nabbed 17 people, and seized more than S$3 million in cash and a 12,000-ton tanker.

Tan, Ng and Doan will return to court on Jan 25.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE CASE SO FAR

Number of suspects arrested: 20

Number of suspects charged: 14

Shell employees involved: Muzaffar Ali Khan Muhamad Akram, 36; Juandi Pungot, 41; Cai Zhi Zhong, 35; Tiah Kok Hwee, 41; Koh Choon Wei, 35; Mohd Ibrahim K Abdul Majid, 52; Abdul Latif Ibrahim, 59; and Richard Goh Chee Keong, 48

Alleged co-conspirator with some Shell employees: Muhammad Ali Muhammad Nor, 51

Alleged recipients of stolen oil: Nguyen Duc Quang, 46, and Dang Van Hanh, 37 (on the vessel Prime South), Doan Xuan Than, 45 (on the vessel MT Gaea), Alan Tan Cheng Chuan, 45, and Ng Hock Teck, 54 (on Sentek 26)

TIMELINE

July 24, 2017: Tan and Ng allegedly received about 764.81 metric tons of marine gas oil valued at S$252,557.98

Oct 2, 2017: Nguyen allegedly received 1,131 metric tons of gas oil valued at US$579,445 (S$766,316)

Oct 23, 2017: Nguyen allegedly received 1,276 metric tons of gas oil worth US$653,733

Nov 11, 2017: Muzaffar Ali, Juandi, Cai, Tiah, and Koh allegedly moved 300 metric tons of gas oil worth S$160,000 to Tan and Ng

Nov 14, 2017: Abdul Latif, Mohd Ibrahim and Goh allegedly moved 846.4 metric tons of gas oil worth S$465,520

Nov 21, 2017: Muzaffar Ali, Juandi, Cai, Tiah, and Koh allegedly moved 2,322 metric tons of gas oil worth S$1,277,430

Dec 1, 2017: Doan allegedly received about 1,133 metric tons of gas oil worth US$639,725.79

Dec 31, 2017: Muzaffar Ali, Juandi, Cai, Tiah, and Koh allegedly moved 1,076.9 metric tons of gas oil worth S$592,295; Doan allegedly received 1,348.8 metric tons of gas oil worth S$736,444.80.

Jan 5: Abdul Latif, Mohd Ibrahim and Goh allegedly moved 801.86 metric tons of gas oil worth S$437,815.56

Jan 7: Muzaffar Ali, Juandi, Cai, Tiah, and Koh allegedly worked with Muhammad Ali to move 1,260 metric tons of gas oil worth S$687,960 to Nguyen and Dang