A man’s attempt to keep 400 litres of diesel for personal use ended in trouble after enforcement officers from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Kos Sara Hidup) (KPDN) raided a storage facility in Jalan Airport, Kudat on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old local man was arrested after authorities discovered the fuel stored in two drums during an operation conducted under Ops Tiris 4.0.
KPDN Kudat Chief Enforcement Officer Nazatul Shima Karim said the raid was carried out as part of routine monitoring activities under the ongoing operation targeting controlled goods leakage.
During the inspection, enforcement officers uncovered the storage site and found the two containers holding the 400 litres of diesel. Investigations revealed that the fuel was kept without proper authorisation for personal use, leading to the man’s immediate detention.
Authorities said the case is being investigated under Regulation 3(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974 for dealing with controlled goods without a valid licence or permission.
Nazatul Shima added that Ops Tiris 4.0 is part of broader efforts under the GEMPUR initiative aimed at curbing leakage and manipulation of controlled goods in the market.
She stressed that enforcement actions will continue to be intensified, particularly in high-risk areas identified for fuel smuggling and diversion activities, including Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas and Pulau Banggi, as authorities move to tighten control over subsidised fuel distribution.
