Johor cops bust illegal fuel processing ring, arrest five

PONTIAN: An illegal fuel processing ring in Pekan Nanas here has been busted by police, who also seized vehicles, equipment and used engine oil worth a total of RM7.3mil.

Acting Johor police chief Senior Asst Comm Jalaludin Hamid said five men, including three foreigners, were arrested in a raid on a factory in Kampung Jeram Batu at around 5.30pm on Tuesday (June 28).

At the premises, police discovered 128,000 litres of used engine oil worth RM230,400, as well as 12 tanker lorries and heavy machinery used in the illegal activity, he said.

The syndicate would convert used engine oil into low-grade diesel, he said, adding that this was the first such case detected in Johor this year.

SAC Jalaludin (left) examining the used engine oil found at the factory.

“The suspects, including the factory’s 48-year-old owner and suspected ringleader, have been purchasing used engine oil from factories and vehicle workshops in the area at 30 sen per litre.

“(After processing) the end product is sold at RM1.80 per litre to factories and related industries in Johor Baru, Kuala Lumpur and Port Klang,” he told a press conference at the factory on Thursday (June 30).

“The end product is a lower-quality diesel meant for heavy machinery and not vehicles.

“We are also looking into how the premises itself was registered but it (appears to have) the permission to handle scheduled items,” SAC Jalaludin said, adding that the syndicate was believed to have been active for at least six months.

The suspects, aged 26 to 49 years, would be investigated under Section 34(B)(1)(A) of the Environment Quality Act 1974 and Section 6(1)(C) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, he said.