IPOH: The Perak Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry seized diesel, vehicles and equipment worth more than RM121,000 in a raid on a suspected diesel smuggling operation in Taiping on Tuesday (May 12).
Perak Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry director Datuk Kamalludin Ismail said the integrated operation under Ops Tiris 4.0 and Ops Jeriji was carried out at about 1.30pm.
He said enforcement officers from the ministry’s Taiping branch conducted the raid with the Marine Police Force.
Kamalludin said intelligence gathered found diesel was allegedly being illegally transferred from a trailer lorry into containers at an open area in Taiping.
During the raid, he said a 32-year-old local man, believed to be the lorry driver, was found transferring liquid suspected to be diesel into jerry cans.
He said the containers were placed inside a Toyota car belonging to a 67-year-old local man, who is believed to have acted as the buyer.
Kamalludin said further inspections found that both individuals failed to produce authorisation documents from the Malaysian Supply Controller for dealings involving controlled goods.
He said 40 litres of suspected diesel, a trailer lorry, a fleet card, a Toyota car, a hose, 13 jerry cans and several related documents were seized.
“The total value of the seizure is estimated at RM121,100,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (May 13).
He said the case is being investigated under the Supply Control Act 1961 and the Supply Control Regulations 1974.
“Individuals convicted under the Act could face a fine of up to RM1mil, imprisonment of up to three years, or both.
“Companies could be fined up to RM2mil for a first offence and up to RM5mil for subsequent offences,” he said.
He urged the public to cooperate with authorities by reporting information related to the misappropriation of controlled and subsidised goods.
