JOHOR BARU: Police have arrested a total of 30 individuals including a “Datuk” suspected of being part of a diesel smuggling syndicate.
Along with the arrest, about 95,000 litres of subsidised diesel, 27 vehicles such as modified tanker lorries as well as fuel suction pumps and large capacity tanks were seized, said Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat.
The individuals, including a woman and a foreign man, were arrested in a storehouse at the Desa Plentong industrial area near Masai here on Wednesday (June 15) evening, he added.
“One of those arrested was a 46-year-old 'Datuk', whom we suspect is the leader of the syndicate.
“Initial checks found he has two priors on his criminal record including criminal intimidation and cheating so we will also look into how he was able to get a datukship despite having such records,” he said in a press conference at the scene of the raid on Thursday (June 16).
The total amount of the seized items was valued at about RM3.01mil, he said.
Comm Kamarul Zaman added that the syndicate was suspected of purchasing subsidised diesel using the modified vehicles and tanks before transporting the fuel by sea to neighbouring countries for a lucrative price.
“We believe the syndicate members went to specific petrol pumps to purchase the subsidised diesel using the modified vehicles.
“They confuse others by pouring diesel into seemingly regular tanks which have been modified to pump the fuel into a linked larger tank in order to obtain large volumes of fuel,” he said, adding that the diesel could fetch about double the price when sold overseas.
Comm Kamarul Zaman also said police would investigate whether any law enforcement personnel were involved in the case.
The case is being investigated under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act (for possessing controlled supplies), which carries a maximum fine of RM1mil for the first offence and a maximum fine of RM3mil for the following conviction.
He added that police have so far this year made eight arrests statewide under the same Act.
