Illegal LPG gas store raided
SUBANG JAYA: Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry enforcement officers raided a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) store found illegally transferring LPG gas from subsidised barrels to industrial gas barrels at the USJ 1 Industrial Estate, near here, yesterday.
It was understood that the supplier, who had a valid licence, sold the industrial gas barrels at cheaper prices, after transferring the low-priced LPG from the subsidised barrels to the industrial barrels.
The ministry’s enforcement officers, who monitored the trader’s activities last month to gather evidence, raided the store at 2.30pm yesterday. They found 40 industrial LPG barrels prepped and ready for sale.
“They transferred LPG from the 14kg subsidised barrels to the 50kg industrial barrels.
“We found 40 gas-filled industrial barrels,” said Putrajaya Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry Enforcement Division senior assistant director Khairi Jamaludin.
He added that 143 subsidised LPG barrels were found in the premises.
“Some of them were empty while others were filled with LPG.
“We also found 20 hoses used to transfer the gas,” he said. He said the value of the seizure was estimated at RM32,410. Industrial LPG is sold between RM180 and RM205.
“However, this supplier sells them for below RM180 and earns a profit from the stolen, subsidised LPG,” he said.
Following the raid, enforcement officers also inspected premises at the Penaga Industrial Estate, near USJ 9, here, which is the supplier’s operation base.
“However, the supplier was not at the location.
“Only one employee was around. We took a statement from the employee for investigations.”
Khairi said the case would be investigated under Regulation 3 (1) of the Supply Control Regulations 1974, read together with Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.