Ipoh: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) Perak branch raided a vehicle workshop in Anjung Tawas Sinaran, here, yesterday, suspected of illegally storing diesel without a valid permit.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the raid, under Ops Tiris, was carried out by a team of officers and enforcement personnel after a week-long surveillance and intelligence gathering. Datuk Kamalludin Ismail, the director of KPDN, stated that during the raid, a 59-year-old local man, who owns the workshop, was found on the premises.

Inspection revealed that 5,000 litres of diesel were stored without a valid licence or permit. The workshop owner could not provide any letter of authorisation, licence, or permit for the storage of diesel. Consequently, the raiding team seized 5,000 litres of diesel, 24 drums, 11 jerrycans, a fuel pump, and a mobile phone, with an estimated total value of RM19,363.94.

Kamalludin explained that the operation involved lorry drivers siphoning diesel from their employers and delivering it to the workshop for storage. The workshop owner allegedly purchased the diesel at a low price of approximately RM2 per litre from the drivers before reselling it to industries around Ipoh.

The illegal diesel storage facility was reportedly concealed behind a vehicle repair workshop to avoid detection by authorities. The case is currently under investigation under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, on suspicion of possessing or storing scheduled controlled goods, diesel, without written permission from the Supply Controller.