JOHOR BARU, Aug 20 — The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) seized 47,540 litres of diesel and equipment suspected to have been misappropriated at the Plentong Industrial Estate in Masai here yesterday.

Acting Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the seizure was made by a Putrajaya trade enforcement team which raided a store there at 8.10pm under ‘Op Tiris’, following a six-month investigation and surveillance.

The raiding party also arrested a 37-year-old man who admitted to working as a trailer driver.

"The modus operandi of the syndicate was to use several lorries to collect diesel from certain petrol stations along the Pasir Gudang, Masai and Kempas highways and send it to the store for eventual sale in the market.

"A tanker, two bonded lorries, a pickup truck and diesel were seized, all worth RM267,457,” he said in a statement last night.

Armizan said the case was being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 to identify the individuals or companies involved in the diesel misappropriation network and the locations for distribution.

"The companies involved will also be investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001) (Act 613).

"The ministry will always deploy its enforcement personnel and intensify enforcement and monitoring to combat these illegal activities, especially at petrol stations located near the country’s borders,” he said. — Bernama