GOF busts syndicate that resold subsidised diesel to ships in Klang

JOHOR BARU: A syndicate alleged to have sold subsidised diesel to ships in Klang, Selangor has been exposed with the arrest of three suspects, including an Indonesian national.

General Operations Force (GOF) Battalion 5 commanding officer Supt Dimin Awang said the suspects, aged 36 to 40, were arrested during an operation along Jalan Cenderai 21 at Taman Kota Puteri in Masai here at noon on Sunday (April 17).

“Investigations found that the suspects would buy the subsidised diesel from petrol stations around here using a small lorry before returning to (their base) and transferring it to a bigger tanker.

"They would then travel to Klang to sell the fuel,” he said here on Monday (April 18).

Supt Dimin added that the syndicate sold the diesel at RM3.85 per litre to vessels around Klang. As of April 13, the pump price for diesel was RM2.15 per litre.

GOF also seized several items during the raid including 51 thousand-litre drums, four electric pumps, 43,000 litres of subsidised diesel, two plastic hoses, three tankers and a three-tonne lorry.

“Checks on flow meters found at the scene showed that the diesel cumulatively pumped into the tankers was more than 1 million litres,” he added.

Supt Dimin said the seized items were valued at more than RM1.4mil and had been handed over to the Johor Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for further investigations under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.

He said it was believed that the arrests and seizures had cut the supply chain of the syndicate operating between here and Klang.