Perak Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry busts syndicate misappropriating subsidised diesel

IPOH - The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) of Perak busted a syndicate misappropriating subsidised diesel after raiding a storage unit in the maintenance and construction area near Trong yesterday.

State KPDN chief enforcement officer Mohamed Aznanshah Khalid said they arrested a 35-year-old man in the Ops Tiris raid at about 4pm, with the total seizure estimated at RM96,248.

"Upon inspecting the premises, we found 5,200 litres of liquid suspected to be diesel kept in the illegal store. A preliminary investigation found that the company had stored the diesel without permission or a valid permit,” he said in a statement.

He added that apart from the diesel, the KPDN enforcement personnel also confiscated a lorry, several equipment and documents.

He said the syndicate’s modus operandi was to purchase the diesel at petrol stations around Beruas at the subsidised price directly into the lorry’s tank, with the lorry making up to eight trips a day and filling up an estimated 600 litres per trip.

"The subsidised diesel is believed to be misappropriated for the use of the road construction and maintenance machinery in the area to reduce the operational cost as it is cheaper than commercial diesel,” he said.

According to him, they have taken action against one of the petrol stations involved in the illegal activity and the case is being further investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and Control of Supplies Regulations 1974. - BERNAMA