The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has seized 68,692 litres of subsidised petrol linked to 153 cases of fuel misappropriation and smuggling nationwide under Ops Tiris 4.0 (Integrated).
KPDN Enforcement Director-General Datuk Azman Adam said the cases were detected between March 16 and June 3, with most offences recorded in border states, particularly Kelantan.
He said the 153 petrol-related cases formed part of the 740 enforcement cases recorded during the period, underscoring the government’s continued efforts to curb subsidy leakages and cross-border smuggling activities.
“We want to ensure subsidised fuel reaches those who are genuinely eligible and prevent leakages that could burden the country’s finances,” he said.
Azman said KPDN conducted 59,965 inspections nationwide during the period, including checks at petrol stations and business premises to detect illegal purchases, storage and misuse of subsidised fuel.
Enforcement efforts have also been intensified at border areas and illegal routes identified as high-risk smuggling hotspots, while intelligence operations have been strengthened to dismantle fuel smuggling syndicates.
He said strict action would continue to be taken against individuals and syndicates involved in fuel smuggling to safeguard national interests and ensure the effectiveness of government subsidy programmes.
Meanwhile, checks in Pengkalan Kubor found that fuel-smuggling activities remain active at several petrol stations in the district.
Some smugglers are believed to have modified the fuel tanks of pickup trucks to significantly increase storage capacity beyond the original specifications, allowing larger quantities of subsidised petrol to be transported illegally.
