KAJANG: A raid at two warehouses in Jalan Semenyih last week led to the arrest of 11 suspected diesel smugglers as well as the seizure of 94,450 litres of fuel.
Selangor police chief Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed, said teams from the Crime Intelligence Unit (D4) of the state Criminal Investigation Department and the Bukit Aman Drone Unit of the Air Operations Team conducted surveillance before simultaneously raiding both premises on Sept 1.
"In the two raids, police arrested 11 suspects, including four foreigners, all aged between 19 and 59.
"They comprised truck drivers and general workers at the premises," he told reporters at a press conference at the location today.
Arjunaidi said all those arrested were being remanded for five days to facilitate investigation by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP).
The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
Arjunaidi said preliminary checks showed that the syndicate would buy subsidised diesel from petrol stations using modified lorry and 4x4 trucks.
"The subsidised diesel would then be sold for industrial use, slightly cheaper than the unsubsidised RM5.70 retail price per litre," he said, adding that the syndicate has been operational for the last three months.
In the raid, the authorities seized seven modified bounded lorries with a total load of 3,000 litres of diesel, one oil tanker with a load of 25,000 litres, one Toyota Hilux pickup truck modified to fit a load of 400 liters, 46 plastic barrels with a total load of 27,050 litres, three static oil tanks loaded with a total of 39,000 litres, 12 mobile phones, equipment used to pump oil into the tank, as well as three transaction documents as evidence.
"The estimated value of the confiscated goods is about RM1.5 million.
"This would have translated to RM203,067.50 in loss of government revenue," he said.
Arjunaidi said similar activities were rampant not only in Selangor but throughout the country and had cost the government millions of ringgit in lost revenue.
"This illegal activity by irresponsible quarters has had a negative impact on the country's economy.
"We hope more people will come forward with information on any illegal activities they may know, as that information can help the authorities with fighting crime and keeping the country safe," he said.