MALACCA: The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry Office (PPDNKK) in Malacca foiled an attempt to smuggle subsidised Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) worth RM1.7 million at Pulau Sebang, Alor Gajah here the other day.
Its enforcement unit’s deputy chief Rosley Abdullah said 1,539 barrels of LPG were seized at two premises at the Pulau Sebang small and medium industrial area.
He said also confiscated were seven tank lorries, four prime movers, a car, a trailer and a small lorry believed to have been used for smuggling in the 4pm raid.
“Initial investigations revealed that the premises have been operating the activities of distributing the LPG for domestic use before smuggling it outside the state to be sold to factories.
“This syndicate is suspected to have transferred the LPG from subsidised gas cylinders to the tank lorries every two weeks involving about 400 LPG cylinders,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Rosley said three Bangladesh nationals, aged 26, 36 and 39 years, believed to be guards at the premises were nabbed to facilitate investigation.
He said a local man was suspected to be the mastermind of the syndicate and had hired foreigners to do the gas transfer.
He said the case was being investigated under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961, which carries a fine of RM250,000 or three years’ jail for an individual or both while the company is liable to be compounded up to RM1 million upon conviction.
