Seized Oil-Smuggling Boats Found Near Malaysian Waters

The three oil-smuggling boats that went missing from the Sattahip Police Pier have been found in the Gulf of Thailand near Malaysian waters, on Sunday.

Authorities immediately took control of the vessels and will bring them back to Thai waters, docking at the Songkhla Police Pier on Monday afternoon. The boats were located in a special economic zone shared by Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Initial inspections revealed some oil was missing, and only 8 out of the original 16 crew members remained, with signs of attempts to disguise the ships.

Authorities believe the boats had docked in Cambodia, where some crew members disembarked and oil was unloaded. Thai authorities, in coordination with neighboring countries, forced the boats to flee into open waters.