SANDAKAN: Enforcement officers from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) have uncovered a syndicate misappropriating diesel using modified box trucks equipped with extra tanks.
Sandakan KPDN chief enforcement officer Azdy Zukkry John said the syndicate would fill up these modified box trucks at different petrol stations, before distributing the fuel for sale on the black market.
He said this illegal activity was detected through intelligence under Ops Tiris 3.0, and yesterday, a three-tonne box truck was detained at 4.30 pm, but the driver managed to escape.
“Upon inspection, the officers found controlled goods, namely 1,000 litres of diesel, stored in one of the three tanks.
“The box truck’s fuel tank had been modified, believed to store diesel purchased from petrol stations. The modification is suspected to have been done for the purpose of misappropriating and reselling the fuel for profit,” he said in a statement today.
Azdy Zukkry said the lorry and the suspected diesel fuel, valued at RM48,450, were seized for investigation under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, which will focus on identifying individuals or companies involved, as well as the distribution chain and sources of the fuel.
He also issued a stern warning to individuals or companies to comply with the law and urged petrol station operators not to sell RON95 petrol and diesel to buyers without written permission from KPDN.
The public with information on any activity involving the misappropriation of controlled or subsidised goods can report to the ministry via WhatsApp at 019-2794317 or 019-8488000, the e-Aduan portal at e-aduan.kpdn.gov.my, the call centre at 1-800-866-800 or through the Ez ADU KPDN mobile app.
