Syndicate selling subsidised diesel smashed in Johor

JOHOR BAHRU: The General Operations Force (GOF) in Simpang Renggam has crippled a syndicate involved in the illegal sale of subsidised diesel after seizing goods and property worth RM1.427 million in Taman Kota Puteri in Masai here.

GOF Battalion 5 commander Supt Dimin Awang said three men including an Indonesian, aged between 36 and 40, were arrested after they raided a building during Op Kontraban at about noon yesterday.

"The syndicate is believed to have been operating for the past two weeks and checks on two flow meters show that more than one million litres of diesel has been pumped into tankers.

"Preliminary investigations show that the diesel was sold at RM3.85 per litre to boat operators in Klang, Selangor and individuals in Johor Bahru district," he said in a statement today.

The Finance Ministry has set the retail price of diesel at RM2.15 per litre for the week of April 14 to 20.

Dimin said the syndicate was suspected to have bought the diesel in bulk from petrol stations and stored the fuel at the raided premises.

Among the items seized were 51 containers of 1,000-litre capacity, four electric pumps, about 43,000 litres of subsidised diesel, two sets of rubber hoses, and a lorry and trailer.

He said the seized items had been handed over to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for investigations under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.

-- BERNAMA