The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) seized 6.4 tonnes of subsidised packet cooking oil during raids at two storage facilities in Shah Alam, uncovering a syndicate suspected of misusing controlled goods for profit.
KPDN Enforcement Director-General Datuk Azman Adam said the operation, carried out under Ops Tiris 4.0 (Integrated), targeted premises in Bandar Pinggiran Subang and Jalan Bakti, Shah Alam, which were believed to be used as storage locations for subsidised packet cooking oil.
He said inspections uncovered a large quantity of subsidised cooking oil believed to have been stored for repackaging, with the contents allegedly removed from their original packets before being sold to used cooking oil wholesalers.
“This modus operandi was aimed at generating profits through the misuse of subsidised controlled goods,” he said in a statement on Friday.
Preliminary investigations also found that the premises operators failed to produce valid licences or documents related to the storage and trading of controlled goods.
During the operation, enforcement officers seized approximately 6,426 kilogrammes of subsidised packet cooking oil, 13 IBC tanks, four storage tanks, six drums, three electric pumps with funnels, connecting hoses, a rigid lorry, equipment used to cut open cooking oil packets, packaging boxes and several mobile phones.
The total value of the seized items was estimated at RM129,874.50.
Six men in their 30s, comprising one Malaysian and five foreign nationals, were also detained to assist with investigations.
The case is being investigated under Section 21 of the Supply Control Act 1961, read together with Regulation 3(1) of the Supply Control Regulations 1974, for allegedly dealing in controlled goods without a valid licence.
Azman said further investigations are underway to identify other individuals or companies linked to the illegal operation.
He added that individuals convicted of the offence face fines of up to RM1 million for a first offence or RM3 million for subsequent offences, imprisonment of up to three years, or both. Companies, meanwhile, may be fined up to RM2 million for a first offence and RM5 million for repeat offences.
Since the launch of Ops Tiris 4.0 on March 16, KPDN has recorded 137 cooking oil-related enforcement cases involving the seizure of 165,568 kilogrammes of cooking oil worth RM615,936.02.
Azman also urged members of the public to report any information on the misuse or smuggling of subsidised and controlled goods to KPDN to support ongoing enforcement efforts.
