BUKIT MERTAJAM – The Penang Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry raided a car workshop and seized 21,000 litres of subsidised diesel worth RM45,150 at Jalan Paboi, Simpang Ampat, near here last night.
Penang ministry director S. Jegan said the raid was carried out following information from members of the public and surveillance carried out by enforcement officers since last week.
Jegan said during the 11.30am raid, four men aged between 30 and 50 were detained.
“During the raid, the four men were busy transferring subsidised diesel from a 10-tonne lorry that had been modified with secret aluminium compartments to a tanker that was parked behind the shop.
“Initial inspections revealed that the tanker was filled with about 10,000 litres of diesel while another 5,000 litres remained in the 10-tonne lorry,” he told reporters at the ministry’s warehouse in Bukit Minyak here today.
He added that another lorry with 6,000 litres was also detained during the raid.
Jegan said he believes the workshop, which did not have any licence to store subsidised diesel, was used by a syndicate involved in smuggling subsidised diesel.
“The modus operandi of the syndicate is to use lorries modified with secret compartments to buy and store fuel illegally. They buy diesel from various stations throughout the state after midnight to avoid being detected by the authorities.
“Two lorries and the tanker were seized. Initial investigations also revealed that the syndicate moves its base from one location to another to avoid being detected,” he said. – Bernama, August 30, 2022
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