Petrol smuggling at fuel station busted

TANAH MERAH: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) busted the smuggling of petrol destined for a neighbouring country in an operation at a remote petrol station in Tanah Merah district on Monday.

KPDNHEP Tanah Merah chief enforcement officer, Ahmad Azizi Abdul Kadir said this was the result of its intelligence work on the petrol station in Kampung Estate Kerrilla after receiving information on the smuggling activity.

“The petrol station was operating until 8 pm but closed earlier at 7.30 pm….our team was observing it and became suspicious of the arrival of two vehicles, a four-wheel drive (Pajero) and a van there.

“The team then raided the petrol station and arrested a 29-year-old suspect while another fled upon realising our presence,” he said at a news conference held at the KPDNHEP Tanah Merah office, here, yesterday.

Ahmad Azizi said upon inspecting the two vehicles, they found 80 plastic containers filled with petrol to be smuggled to the neighbouring country through an illegal base.

“We seized the 195 litres of petrol worth RM8,370 while the petrol station owner was interrogated as he was believed to be involved in the smuggling activity. The case will be investigated under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961,” he added.

In a separate operation about 1 pm, the same day, 2,108 kilogrammes of coarse granulated sugar worth RM6,007 were seized from a retail outlet in Kampung Gemang Jeli.

“The seizure was made as the retailer had more than the amount legally allowed of the controlled item and failed to maintain the stock book,” said Ahmad Azizi.

He added that in January this year, seven cases with the seizure of goods worth RM19,469 had so far been recorded under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.