ALOR STAR: The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry had seized 15,000 litres of subsidised diesel worth RM30,000 from a petrol station in Jalan Gunung Keriang for allegedly cooperating with diesel smuggling syndicate.
The station operator was also temporarily banned from selling diesel pending the investigation, said its state deputy director Khalid Tik.
Khalid said the order came after the ministry caught a van driver who filled up 600 litres of diesel at the station in multiple transactions today.
He said the ministry's enforcement team had staged a 40 minute stake-up prior to the 12.50pm bust.
“Upon inspecting, we found that the van was fitted with a fibre container," he said.
Khalid said the two large containers inside the van could store up to 3,000 litres of diesel each.
“We believe the van driver was a runner with a syndicate involved in smuggling subsidised diesel to Thailand,” he added.
He said the case was being investigated under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.