PADANG BESAR: Smugglers of subsidised fuel at the Malaysia-Thai border have a list of official and private vehicles belonging to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry officers.

This, according to the ministry's state director Norazah Jaapar, was uncovered after raids at Kampung Melayu Padang Besar, near here, yesterday.

She said this showed that the syndicate was not just monitoring the movement of the ministry officers' official vehicles but their private vehicles too.

"The raids, at two locations in the village, were carried out by an enforcement team about 7.30am following two weeks of surveillance.

"In the first raid, we stopped a pick-up truck with foreign registration number that was filling up diesel from a drum. Upon inspection, the team found 640 litres of diesel and 300 litres of petrol worth about RM53,451.

"We seized the vehicle as well as the fuels, and other equipment involved," she said in a statement.

She added that the raiding team then detained a local and a foreigner in their 20s and 50s at the scene to assist investigations.

Norazah said in another raid at a store nearby, the raiding party found a Proton Iswara fitted with a modified tank.

"Upon inspection, the team found some 300 litres of petrol valued about RM5,615 in the car's modified tank.

"However, what shocked us was the discovery of a list of registration number of private vehicles belonging to our officers as well as the official vehicles. We believe the Iswara was used to monitor the movement of our officers," she said.

Norazah added that initial investigations showed that the syndicate also used vehicles belonging to local residents to purchase subsidised diesel and petrol at several fuel stations in Perlis before transporting them to the sites to be sold to foreign vehicles owners.

She said since March 1, the Perlis-chapter has opened 22 cases under 'Ops Tiris' and questioned 20 people, mostly locals in the investigations.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2023/06/917228/fuel-raids-uncover-list-vehicles-belonging-perlis-domestic-trade