3 men nabbed in Malaysia raid on syndicate smuggling subsidised Ron95 petrol out of country

Three Malaysian men were arrested on Thursday (March 26) for allegedly attempting to bring subsidised Ron95 petrol to another country for sale. 

The suspects, aged between 60 and 70, were caught in Perak during an enforcement operation by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living (KPDN). 

Its director Kamalludin Ismail said enforcement officers discovered that the fuel tank of three locally registered vehicles had been modified. 

The men were caught with a collective 450 litres of Ron95 petrol. 

"The three men are believed to be part of a syndicate whose modus operandi is to fill up petrol at petrol stations several times before entering a neighbouring country," he was quoted by The Star as saying. 

The subsidised fuel and the three cars were seized, and the case is under investigation. 

Thai nationals arrested for alleged smuggling

Separately, three Thai nationals were nabbed on Friday (March 27) for attempting to smuggle petrol through the Malaysia-Thailand border. 

KPDN's Kelantan division said in a statement that two men and a woman were detained at Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security complex. 

The suspects, aged between 35 and 56, collectively had 160 litres of petrol in their tanks. 

They have confessed that the fuel was intended for sale in Thailand, according to the statement. 

It is unclear if the three Thai nationals are linked to the Malaysian petrol smuggling syndicate. 

Beginning April 1, Malaysia will enforce a Ron95 ban on foreign-registered vehicles.

Drivers and owners of foreign-registered vehicles can face legal repercussions if they are caught purchasing the fuel, which is subsidised for Malaysians.

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