Smuggling of fuel oil ends in jail

A ship's captain who tried to smuggle 650 tons of fuel oil into China and evade taxes of up to 1.78 million yuan (US$256,277) has been sentenced to 5 years behind bars, the Shanghai No.3 Intermediate People’s Court announced yesterday.

The man, surnamed Chen received instructions from others, who were not identified, in March to recruit sailors and illegally import a batch of fuel oil. He was promised high returns.

His ship set off on April 3 from the coastal province of Fujian in southeast China. On April 7, he sailed out of China’s territorial waters. There, a foreign ship, loaded with fuel oil, was waiting for him. The fuel oil was transferred to his ship.

On his way back to Fujian on April 8, the maritime police of Shanghai spotted his ship. They stopped it for a routine check, and discovered it was carrying the fuel.

As well as the jail time Chen was fined 500,000 yuan.

The court said cases of this kind are  well-organized. Most of the people involved are fishermen or residents living in coastal areas.