KUALA LUMPUR: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has busted a syndicate involved in the embezzlement of subsidised diesel after detaining five men in a raid on a premises in Chan Sow Lin, Sungai Besi last Wednesday.
The ministry's Kuala Lumpur director Ariffin Samsudin said the suspects, aged between 35 and 57, were nabbed by a police team under Op Tiris 3.0.
The operation led to the seizure of four five-tonne bonded lorries, two skid tanks with a capacity of 20,000 litres each, 40 intermediate bulk container (IBC) tanks, five suction pumps with hoses and 44,000 litres of diesel, with an estimated value about RM300,000.
"A week's police intelligence revealed that several bonded trucks were travelling to 20 petrol stations in the Ampang area, Selangor. They are believed to have been in operation since mid-December last year.
"The affected petrol stations are being investigated as the same trucks have been making repeated purchases on a daily basis. Based on observations, the diesel purchased will be collected before being transferred to tankers arriving at the storage facility,” he told a press conference here on Wednesday (Jan 17).
Ariffin said the subsidised diesel bought by this syndicate is believed to be resold to factories and industries in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan at a lower price than the market price.
He said the initial investigation revealed that the premises raided did not have licences or permits to trade in controlled goods, namely diesel.
"The five men arrested were lorry drivers and workers at the storage facility. They were released on bail after their statements were taken," he said.
Ariffin emphasised that KPDN Kuala Lumpur did not rule out the possibility that it was a syndicated activity controlling certain areas.
In another development, Ariffin said KPDN Kuala Lumpur has opened 10 investigation papers in 2023 with 15 arrests of locals under Ops Tiris and seized controlled items and other equipment, including vehicles, worth RM965,000. - Bernama
