PUTRAJAYA: A series of raids have fizzled out widespread misappropriation and illegal distribution of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and diesel.
The raids by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry began on Jan 15 with a bust on an unlicenced facility in Rantau, Negeri Sembilan, where a syndicate was caught in ‘decanting’ operations, transferring subsidised LPG from 14kg cylinders into 50kg cylinders.
"The syndicate obtained subsidised LPG from licenced wholesalers in Sepang, Selangor, and stored it at the premises before redistributing it illegally,” said the ministry’s enforcement deputy director general (operations) Shamsul Nizam Khalil.
“The cylinders were then sold at market price for industrial LPG.
The second raid took place on the same evening at another unlicenced facility in Mantin, Negeri Sembilan where authorities discovered 14kg LPG cylinders and 1kg cooking oil packages being stored without valid documentation under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
Additionally, 15,000 litres of diesel, also without proper documentation, were seized from an industrial facility in Seri Kembangan in Selangor.
In total, authorities seized 559 LPG cylinders, 17 boxes of 1kg cooking oil packages, 15,000 litres of diesel, three trucks and various business documents, valued at RM351,367.70.
"The ministry detained eight men, including three foreigners, aged between 20 and 50, to assist in the investigation.
"Three investigation papers have been opened under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 to identify others involved, including licenced suppliers and wholesalers," Shamsul Nizam said.
He also reported that under Ops Tiris 3.0 which began on Jan 1, the ministry conducted 45,522 inspections which led to 2,860 cases with a total seizure value of RM94.22mil and 626 individuals detained.
Of the 217 cases involving controlled LPG goods nationwide, seizures amounted to RM833,737.90,” he added. - Bernama
