JOHOR BAHRU: Police have smashed a smuggling syndicate with the arrest of 30 people and seizure of 95,000 litres of diesel worth RM522,500 at a store in the Desa Plentong industrial estate here.

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the suspected mastermind, a 46-year-old man with the title of Datuk, was among those rounded up in the raid under Op Bersepadu at 11 pm yesterday.

He said the ringleader had criminal records and the syndicate was believed to have been selling subsidised diesel in the international market since last month.

Their modus operandi included using modified lorry tankers to transport diesel, he said.

"They bought the subsidised diesel (from petrol stations) and sold it on the black market at double the normal price. If the prevailing price was RM2.45 per litre, they would sell at RM4.50.

"This syndicate smuggled diesel to neighbouring countries via the sea," he told a media conference at the location of the raid here today.

Police also seized 27 lorries, including eight modified lorry tankers, seven oil suction pumps, four metered oil aspirators, two 19,000-litre capacity tanks, two 15,000-litre capacity tanks, 79 drums of 1,000-litre capacity each, and RM12,507 cash.

The assets and diesel seized are worth a total of RM3,018,000, he added.

Kamarul Zaman said police were conducting further investigations to determine if there were petrol stations or enforcement authorities who collaborated with the syndicate.

"We will take firm action against enforcement officers found collaborating with the syndicate. We believe we can cripple more of such syndicates soon," he said.

-- BERNAMA