숨 고른 홈플러스 ‘매직배송’ 시동건다…점포 67곳도 문 열 준비

67 individuals were arrested for illegally distributing offshore oil and obtaining prohibited marine fuel in a recent crackdown by the marine police. The special interception operation led to the identification of 31 illegal activities, resulting in the arrest of 67 individuals. One individual was taken into custody for violating the oil business law, while 18 were released without charges.

The remaining individuals are still under investigation. A total of 84,456 liters of illegal offshore oil distribution was identified during the special interception period, which is the highest in the past four years. The illegal distribution method involved purchasing "back oil" during the oil supply process and supplying it to overseas ships or tankers.

Twenty-one cases (55 individuals arrested) involved this method. In April, a man named Gc was arrested in Jeollanam-do for violating the oil business law, supplied prohibited marine fuel to domestic cargo ships for 386 consecutive times between December 2022 and April 2024, amounting to around 138 billion won (1460 million liters).

In March, a case involving the illegal distribution of 250,000 liters of marine fuel for non-maritime purposes in Uljin County was identified. Additionally, four cases of illegally obtaining marine fuel for non-maritime purposes by obtaining a marine permit fraudulently were also identified. Last June, a man named Nc, who was arrested for fraud in Busan, was found to have illegally obtained 100 liters of marine fuel by falsely submitting arrival/departure records.

The marine police conducted the special interception from March 11 to July 31, aiming to curb illegal oil trading activities taking advantage of geopolitical instability in the Middle East. The acting director of the marine police emphasized that crimes exploiting oil price volatility pose a significant threat to the livelihoods of citizens and stated that they will maintain a constant monitoring system at key sea areas even after the completion of the special interception to thoroughly investigate the identified illegal activities.