KANGAR: Diesel smuggling still persists in the state despite the recent implementation of targeted subsidies, and police expect the volume to increase as syndicates want to maintain their profits.
Perlis police chief Datuk Muhammad Abdul Halim said that police have intensified their monitoring of the syndicates, especially along the Malaysia-Thailand border.
He said although the government had floated the diesel price at RM3.35 per litre since midnight yesterday, the smuggling of fuel into a neighbouring country remained significant.
"Even though the diesel price is now nearly the same as the selling price in the neighbouring country, we cannot dismiss the smuggling syndicates yet.
"Despite the narrowing profit margin, smuggling still yields profits. We believe that diesel and petrol smuggling syndicates will scale up their operations, smuggling out larger volumes of fuel to maintain high profits.
"Therefore, we will not remain idle and will continuously intensify our operations to combat diesel and petrol smuggling to neighbouring countries.
"This includes collaborating with other agencies such as the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) and the Customs Department at border checkpoints," he said in a press conference today (June 11).
He added that even before the implementation of targeted diesel subsidies, the police had already achieved success in combating fuel smuggling.
"Our operations are not limited to land, but also extend to the sea through cooperation with other agencies. At sea, we work with the marine police and collaborate in integrated operations with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the state Fisheries Department.
"We do not want these syndicates to take advantage of this commodity by smuggling it for use in neighbouring countries," he said.