JOHOR BARU: Police have arrested a complete of 30 people together with a “Datuk” suspected of being a part of a diesel smuggling syndicate.
Along with the arrest, about 95,000 litres of subsidised diesel, 27 automobiles reminiscent of modified tanker lorries in addition to gasoline suction pumps and enormous capability tanks had been seized, stated Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul (*29*) Mamat.
The people, together with a lady and a international man, had been arrested in a storehouse on the Desa Plentong industrial space close to Masai right here on Wednesday (June 15) night, he added.
“One of those arrested was a 46-year-old ‘Datuk’, whom we suspect is the leader of the syndicate.
“Initial checks found he has two priors on his criminal record including criminal intimidation and cheating so we will also look into how he was able to get a datukship despite having such records,” he stated in a press convention on the scene of the raid on Thursday (June 16).
The complete quantity of the seized gadgets was valued at about RM3.01mil, he stated.
Comm Kamarul (*29*) added that the syndicate was suspected of buying subsidised diesel utilizing the modified automobiles and tanks earlier than transporting the gasoline by sea to neighbouring nations for a profitable value.
“We believe the syndicate members went to specific petrol pumps to purchase the subsidised diesel using the modified vehicles.
“They confuse others by pouring diesel into seemingly regular tanks which have been modified to pump the fuel into a linked larger tank in order to obtain large volumes of fuel,” he stated, including that the diesel might fetch about double the worth when bought abroad.
Comm Kamarul (*29*) additionally stated police would examine whether or not any legislation enforcement personnel had been concerned in the case.
The case is being investigated below Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act (for possessing managed provides), which carries a most advantageous of RM1mil for the primary offence and a most advantageous of RM3mil for the next conviction.
He added that police have to this point this 12 months made eight arrests statewide below the identical Act.
