Penang KPDN Confiscates 27,000 Litres Of Smuggled Diesel

The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living's (KPDN) Penang has foiled a diesel smuggling operation, seizing 27,000 gallons of subsidized diesel intended for the local market. The raid on an illegal warehouse near Sungai Perai in Sungai Lokan, codenamed Operation Tiris, followed two months of surveillance and intelligence gathering, according to Penang KPDN director S. Jegan.

“The warehouse, located away from the main road, was likely chosen to avoid detection, with authorities using drones to monitor the area before moving in and arresting four local men,” he told Bernama.


Officers discovered three lorries involved in the diesel smuggling operation, a modified lorry with a tank, a tanker, and a 4x4 vehicle, along with connecting pipes, documentation pertaining to diesel transactions, and other equipment, valued at RM260,800, Jegan added.

The case, which is being probed under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 (Act 122), resulted in the arrest of four males aged 40 to 60 who are thought to be syndicate personnel, including three lorry drivers and one warehouse caretaker. Diesel smuggling has been an ongoing issue in Malaysia for quite some time. Domestic trade and cost of living minister Armizan Mohd Ali told FMT in February 2024 that roughly three million gallons of diesel are smuggled out of the nation each day, resulting in a daily loss of RM4.5 million.