More than 4,100 fuel smuggling, leakage cases recorded under Ops Tiris since 2023

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said said Ops Tiris 4.0 was launched on March 16 this year following the global energy crisis triggered by the conflict in West Asia.

PETALING JAYA: A total of 4,145 cases involving the smuggling or leakage of diesel and petrol have been recorded nationwide under Ops Tiris from 2023 to June 9 this year, according to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.

In a written parliamentary reply dated June 30, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said enforcement operations led to the arrest of 2,311 individuals in cases involving diesel, RON95 and RON97 petrol.

As of June 9 this year, authorities had recorded 619 cases and made 302 arrests, compared with 912 cases and 478 arrests throughout 2025.

In 2023, enforcement agencies recorded 1,343 cases involving 946 arrests, while 1,271 cases and 585 arrests were recorded in 2024.

By region, Peninsular Malaysia accounted for the highest number of cases over the entire period from 2023 to June 9 this year, recording 2,686 cases and 1,943 arrests.

Sabah recorded 880 cases with 290 arrests, while Sarawak registered 579 cases and 78 arrests.

For this year alone, up to June 9, Peninsular Malaysia recorded 302 cases and 212 arrests, followed by Sabah with 182 cases and 64 arrests, and Sarawak with 135 cases and 26 arrests.

“Diesel, RON95 petrol and RON97 petrol are controlled goods gazetted under the Supply Control Act 1961, which is enforced by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry,” Armizan said in the reply.

The response was to Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terengganu), who requested statistics on arrests and cases involving the smuggling of diesel, RON95 and RON97 in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia since 2023.

Armizan said Ops Tiris 4.0 was launched on March 16 this year following the global energy crisis triggered by the conflict in West Asia, which affected energy supply stability and heightened the risk of leakage and smuggling of controlled goods.

He noted that Ops Tiris was first introduced in March 2023 to combat diesel leakage and smuggling before being expanded in January last year to cover other controlled goods.

These include refined white sugar, one-kilogramme polybag cooking oil, wheat flour, RON95 petrol and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).