KOTA BARU: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) of Kelantan seized a total of RM375,185 worth of subsidised controlled items under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 between January and September.
Its director, Azman Ismail, said the seizures comprised essential controlled items like petrol, diesel and cooking oil that were misappropriated for the purpose of being smuggled to neighbouring countries and sold on the black market.
"Among the items seized were 75,929.44 litres of petrol worth RM159,529.54; 29,483 litres of diesel valued at RM84,518.19 and 38,750kg of subsidised packet cooking oil worth RM96,745.40,” he told Bernama today.
Elaborating, Azman said that the total seizure, including vehicles and other contraband, was RM3.52mil, following the implementation of various enforcement operations nationwide within the first nine months of this year.
"During the same period, 1,086 case actions were taken under the KPDN legislation, while 197 arrests were made involving locals and foreigners.
"This success is the result of the continuous integrated operations to combat the misappropriation and smuggling of subsidised controlled items that are carried out in collaboration with the police, the Pengkalan Kubor Region Three Marine Police Team (PPM), the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and other security agencies,” he said.
He said that in the latest case, the KPDN, together with the Pengkalan Kubor Region Three PPM and the Pasir Puteh Police Headquarters, seized a total of 850kg subsidised cooking oil packets worth over RM7,000 following the detention of a suspect in Tok Bali, Pasir Puteh, yesterday. - Bernama
