A local man has been arrested after allegedly misusing a subsidised diesel fleet card in an attempt to facilitate fuel smuggling activities.
The 49-year-old suspect was detained after authorities discovered he had been filling diesel at three different petrol stations within a span of nearly four hours while driving a lorry.
Briged Tenggara General Operations Force (GOF) Commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Radzi Hussain, said the operation began at about 9.38am yesterday when officers observed a Daihatsu lorry refuelling at a petrol station in Pengkalan Kubor.
Officers then trailed the vehicle, which reportedly entered an illegal crossing point at Pangkalan Haram Tualang before exiting and proceeding to a second petrol station in Wakaf Bharu, where it again refuelled using a diesel subsidy card. The suspect later continued to a third petrol station in Tendong, Pasir Mas, before being intercepted at Kampung Simpangan at about 1pm.
Upon inspection, authorities found two fleet cards in the suspect’s possession. The diesel filled in the lorry tank amounted to 90 litres, valued at approximately RM460.80.
During questioning, the suspect allegedly admitted involvement in diesel smuggling activities since early last year. He is believed to have sold the subsidised fuel for around RM360 per lorry tank, roughly 90 litres.
Investigations also revealed that the suspect reportedly carried out smuggling runs to Thailand two to three times daily, depending on demand from buyers allegedly coordinated through an associate known as “Pok Li”. Communication was said to be conducted via the Zalo messaging application, with the suspect receiving between RM30 and RM40 per trip.
Authorities said the suspect also admitted to refuelling at multiple stations around Kota Bharu and Tumpat in an attempt to avoid detection, claiming the activity was carried out to support his family.
The case, along with all seized items, has been handed over to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) for investigation under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
