Grocer Held Over Diesel Misappropriation Using Bonded Lorry

MELAKA, April 24 (Bernama) -- A grocery shop owner was arrested for allegedly misappropriating 1,200 litres of diesel worth RM93,344 using a bonded lorry at four petrol stations around Malim under Op Tiris 4.0 last night.

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) Melaka director Dr Mohd Hazimin Jamaludin said initial investigations found that the suspect, a local man in his 40s, purchased the diesel using a fleet card belonging to another individual.

He said that during the raid at about 11 pm at Taman Malim Permai, the misappropriated diesel was being filled into an additional tank with a capacity of 6,000 litres, fitted with a motor pump system in the modified three-tonne lorry.

“During the raid, the suspect was making his fourth diesel purchase at petrol stations around Malim using a fleet card to obtain subsidised prices before selling it to customers at construction sites around Melaka.

“The raid was carried out following KPDN intelligence, and initial investigations found that the suspect is believed to have been actively involved in diesel misappropriation activities over the past two weeks. He purchased fuel at several different stations and stored it in the modified lorry’s additional tank,” he said at a press conference at the KPDN Melaka Storage Complex in Krubong here today.

He said preliminary findings also showed that the suspect sold the diesel at around RM6 per litre for a profit of about RM4 per litre.

He added that the authorities are tracking down the owner of the fleet card and the bonded lorry, which is registered under a transport company.

Mohd Hazimin said they are trying to determine whether the suspect is part of a diesel misappropriation syndicate or acted alone.

The case is being investigated under sub-regulation 21(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974 and Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.

He said the diesel misappropriation is believed to have occurred due to high demand from users, particularly in the industrial sector.

“This is the sixth case foiled by KPDN Melaka, and we have deployed KPDN officers and personnel at petrol stations throughout the state to monitor and detect any fuel misappropriation activities,” he said.

-- BERNAMA