A man was arrested by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Semporna branch for possessing 3,000 liters of subsidized petrol without approval from the Supply Controller.

The arrest was made during Ops Tiris 3.0 on January 9 following a raid on a petrol station in Semporna town.

“The suspect was using a lorry to purchase petrol from several stations before collecting it for distribution on the black market,” said Semporna district enforcement chief Dr. Jong Jee Leong.

The raid, conducted by five enforcement officers around 9 PM, uncovered 120 jerrycans filled with liquid suspected to be petrol inside the lorry, valued at RM53,369.

The vehicle and the jerrycans were seized for further investigation under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 [Act 122].

Authorities are now working to identify other individuals and companies linked to the syndicate, including tracing the petrol’s source and distribution network in Sabah.

KPDN warned that individuals found guilty under the act could face fines of up to RM1 million or imprisonment for up to three years. Companies may be fined up to RM2 million for a first offense and up to RM5 million for subsequent violations.

The case will also be investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001), which could see offenders jailed for up to 15 years and fined no less than five times the value of the illegal proceeds.

“We will continue monitoring and working with other enforcement agencies to dismantle these syndicates completely,” Jong said in Semporna, on Friday.- January 10, 2025