KPDNHEP detains five men for alleged diesel smuggling

SHAH ALAM - The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) of Selangor detained five men, including a Bangladeshi, on suspicion of diesel smuggling activities in the mangrove swamp area near Pantai Aceh, Pulau Indah here yesterday.

Its director, Mohd Zuhairi Mat Radey, said the five men aged between 22 and 63, were arrested in a raid conducted by a special team from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) before being handed over to the KPDNHEP.

"During the handing over, a barge was found nearby and in the process of transferring diesel fuel into the vessel.

"The vessel is believed to be used for storage and for the purpose of trading the fuel to other ships around the coastal and the mangrove swamp areas,” he said in a statement today.

He said that, upon inspection, it was found that the barge was used as storage for subsidised diesel without valid documents.

"Among the items seized were a tanker, car, barge and an estimated 70,000 litres of fuel suspected to be diesel, with the total seizure amounting to RM738,500,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Sections 20 and 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961. - BERNAMA