JOHOR BARU, May 7 — The Region Two Marine Police Force (PPM) foiled an attempt by a diesel smuggling syndicate to illegally sell the subsidised fuel to various industries in the state here.
The syndicate’s members were believed to purchased subsidised diesel at fuel stations by filling five tanks hidden inside a covered three-tonne lorry.
Johor police chief M. Kumar said the authorities discovered the syndicate’s tactics through public information and monitoring by the Region Two PPM’s intelligence unit.
He said police arrested the 57-year-old lorry driver after he failed to produce Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) documents during a raid early today.
“The Region Two PPM received information regarding a suspicious three-tonne lorry at a petrol station in the Tampoi industrial area at about 12.05am.
“The raiding team found five large tanks filled with subsidised diesel that was modified and hidden in the rear section of the lorry to avoid suspicion,” Kumar told reporters at the Region Two PPM headquarters in Pengkalan Rinting here today.
Kumar was accompanied by Region Two PPM commander Assistant Commissioner Muhd Zailani Abdullah and other senior officers.
Based on the raid, Kumar said each of the five tanks could hold up to 1,000 litres.
He said about 3,000 litres of subsidised diesel were already in the hidden tanks when police conducted an inspection after the raid.
“The lorry driver was handed over to KPDN for a remand application and investigation under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and Section 12 (5) of the Road Transport Act 1987," he said, adding that initial investigations revealed that the syndicate illegally resold the subsidised fuel to industry owners within the city.
