53 people, including a businessman in his 60s and the person who acquired the oil, were arrested by the police for doing business with oil stolen from a truck parking lot.
Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency’s Mobile Criminal Investigation Unit announced on the 22nd that it had indicted Mr. A (60s), a truck parking lot lessor, without detention on charges of violating the Petroleum Business Act. In addition, the police indicted without detention 21 tanker drivers on charges of embezzlement of oil (embezzlement in the course of business) and 31 purchasers on charges of illegally purchasing oil (acquisition of stolen goods).
Person A and others are accused of illegally selling 619,000 liters of gasoline and diesel (market price 600 million won) embezzled from a private truck parking lot in Seo-gu, Incheon from October 2021 to April of last year.
Person A was found to have conspired with tanker truck drivers who used the parking lot because the profit from operating a truck-only parking lot was low.
Tanker drivers embezzled oil by installing so-called ‘tick switches’ to divert it, or by deliberately closing valves during the delivery process to leave oil in the tanker pipes. It was confirmed that the diverted oil was passed on to Mr. A.
Mr. A set up a fuel storage warehouse in his truck parking lot. He installed illegal fueling facilities in the warehouse, including fuel storage tanks (2 x 1000L), a 16-ton tanker truck for fuel storage, 8 fuel hoses, 2 fuel guns, and 50 fuel cans.
Person A was found to have illegally sold gasoline to a total of 31 people, including 28 acquaintances and three gas stations in the city, at a price that was approximately 200 to 300 won per liter cheaper than the market price.
In particular, gas station operators purchased 300,000 liters (370 million won) of fuel at a low price and then resold it at the market price, making a profit. It was confirmed that they committed the crime by making a profit in the short term of about three months and then closing down the business.
A police official said, “We believe that illegal fuel distribution may continue to take place by taking advantage of high oil prices, so we plan to strengthen intelligence gathering activities to crack down on it in advance.” He added, “People who purchase illegal fuel can also be punished, so we ask that you pay special attention and report so that you are not tempted by low prices.”
(Incheon=News 1)
Source: www.donga.com
