GEORGE TOWN - The Wilayah Satu Marine Police Force (PPM) crippled a syndicate’s attempt to smuggle out subsidised diesel to Thailand after detaining six suspects together with 131,040 litres of diesel and four tankers worth RM1.2 million at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, yesterday.
Wilayah Satu PPM deputy commander Supt Rohizan Mohamad said the team had carried out investigations and surveillance for more than a month before initiating Op Taring Landai to raid a premise at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Industrial area at 7.30am.
"During the raid, we detained six men, including two Thai nationals. Two were drivers of two tankers that were from Thailand. Three others detained were locals who were also lorry drivers while the sixth suspect is the caretaker of the premises.
"Investigations revealed that the premises was used as a store for subsidised diesel sourced from local stations using lorries and later transferring the diesel into tanker lorries from Thailand to be smuggled into the neighbouring country.
"Police also found pumps, hose pipes, and pump nozzles believed to have been used to transfer subsidised diesel," he said during a press conference here today.
He added that during the raid,131,040 litres of subsidised diesel worth RM543,816 was seized from four tankers, two of which were from Thailand, while the four lorries are estimated to be worth RM160,000 each.
Rohizan said initial investigations revealed that the syndicate had been actively involved in smuggling subsidised diesel for the past four months and able to rake in hundreds of thousands from the illegal activity.
He said the modus operandi of the syndicate was to use bounded lorries to buy subsidised diesel in Kedah and Perlis to be stored at the premises which is hidden from public view, before transferring the diesel to lorries from Thailand.
Rohizan said the suspects, aged between 23 and 60, were later handed to the investigating officer from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living for further action. - BERNAMA