IPOH: A total of 4,850l of subsidised diesel was seized by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry under "Ops Tiris 3.0" at a food processing factory in the Menglembu industrial area near here.
The ministry's Perak director, Datuk Kamalludin Ismail, said a team of officers had raided the location on Tuesday (July 16) at about 9am.
He said the success of the operation is due to the information from the public, and the intelligence carried out by the enforcement team since the last two weeks around Ipoh.
“From the monitoring carried out, the premises has been suspected of misappropriating the subsidised diesel with the modus operandi of using a tanker lorry to deliver the diesel to another premises believed not to have the authorisation to store the controlled goods.
“Further inspection found that the premises also stored cooking oil, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) meant for factory operations,” he said in a statement Wednesday (July 17).
Kamalludin added that checks at the premises discovered a total of 4,850l of diesel in the tanker, as well as in a drum, six LPG gas tanks each weighing 50kg and 102 bottles of cooking oil each weighing 5kg.
He said the total value of goods and items seized amounted to RM92,7355.50.
“Further investigation also found that the premises were using two weighing scales that were due for recalibration.
“The supplier of the controlled goods involved will be investigated, and action taken under Regulation 9(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulation 1974 for selling the controlled items to a third party that does not have the approval to store the goods," he said.
He added that the case would also be investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and Control of Supplies Regulations 1974.
The ministry is issuing a stern warning to any parties involved with misappropriating controlled goods like subsidised diesel.
"We will not compromise with any parties found to be involved in activities or syndicates involved in the crime.
"We urge the people to continue being the eyes and ears of the authorities by channelling information related to misappropriation of controlled and subsidised goods," he added.
Anyone with such information can send it to the ministry through WhatsApp at 019-279 4317, its portal at http://eaduan.kpdn.gov.my, the call centre at 1-800-866-800, or its mobile app, "Ez Adu KPDN".
