Photo: Bernama. A routine morning at the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint turned into a major bust when border officers uncovered 10,200 litres of subsidised diesel hidden in vehicles heading for Thailand.
The fuel, worth about RM30,600, was concealed in modified tanks in three trailers and three pickup trucks.
According to Bukit Kayu Hitam Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) chief SAC Mohd Nasaruddin M Nasir, the first red flag came at 7.30am when three pickups were stopped during immigration checks. Just over an hour later, three trailers raised suspicion in the heavy vehicle lane after customs clearance.
“These weren’t ordinary tanks, they’d been altered to carry huge amounts of diesel. It’s the kind of setup you expect from a well-organised syndicate,” he said. Officers believe the fuel could fetch far higher prices if resold abroad, possibly as far as Myanmar.
“Six drivers, aged between 40 and 60, were arrested. All vehicles and fuel were seized, bringing the total haul to an estimated RM380,600,” Nasaruddin added. He said smugglers often source subsidised diesel from local petrol stations or industrial storage facilities, then modify vehicles to move it across borders undetected.
