The recent crackdown by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDN) on a diesel smuggling syndicate in Sungai Petani underscores the government's unwavering commitment to combatting illicit activities in the trade and supply of essential commodities. The operation, initiated at 9:50 am, targeted a two-ton lorry that had been repeatedly purchasing diesel from various petrol stations in the Sungai Petani vicinity.
During the surveillance, enforcement officers diligently followed the lorry's movements, noting transactions of RM200, RM150, and RM150 at the first, second, and third petrol stations, respectively. Upon interception, authorities discovered a sophisticated setup within the lorry – two 1,000-litre capacity tanks equipped with pumps and fuel hoses. The pumps were surreptitiously installed to siphon fuel from the original tank into these additional tanks. In total, 232 litres of confiscated fuel, valued at RM500, shed light on the scale of the illicit operation.
The seized assets, including the lorry, pumps, hoses, and tanks, carried an estimated total worth of RM16,500. Affendi Rajini Kanth, the Kedah director, emphasized the significance of this successful operation in maintaining fair market practices. The arrested male driver, in his 40s, is now under remand for further investigation under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
This decisive action by the authorities not only ensures the stability of prices and the integrity of the supply chain but also serves as a deterrent to those engaging in illegal activities. The Ministry remains vigilant in its efforts to protect consumers and the economy from the adverse effects of smuggling and black-market transactions. Such operations contribute to fostering a transparent and equitable business environment, aligning with the government's broader agenda of promoting fair trade practices and safeguarding the welfare of its citizens.
The incident in Sungai Petani serves as a reminder that the government is actively addressing and thwarting attempts to undermine the regulatory framework governing essential commodities, reinforcing its commitment to a thriving and lawful marketplace.
Young Sok Fun is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.