Southeast Sulawesi Police Investigate 2 Tons Of Fuel Smuggling Network To Central Sulawesi

Evidence of a pickup truck containing jerry can containing pertalite fuel that will be smuggled into Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi, has been secured at the Southeast Sulawesi Police Headquarters. ANTARA/La Ode Muh Deden Saputra.

The Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) of the Southeast Sulawesi Police (Sultra) conducted developments to investigate a network of smuggling two tons of fuel oil (BBM) to Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi (Sulteng).

Head of Sub-Directorate I of the Ditreskrimsus Polda Sultra Kompol Rico Fernanda said his party would develop to find a network of other fuel smuggling perpetrators who acted in the jurisdiction of the Southeast Sulawesi Regional Police.

"We are developing this, for these perpetrators, it is possible that we will develop it again for other perpetrators. We hope that in the Southeast Sulawesi region there will be no more misuse of fuel so that people are not constrained by fuel shortages," Rico said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, May 8.

The police have arrested one person who smuggled fuel with the initials F (24) with evidence of Pertalite type fuel as much as 64 jerry cans measuring 32 liters.

"What we have secured for now is 64 jerry cans containing pertalite type fuel. That's more than two tons, but later we will take more detailed measurements by the measurementr," he said.

In addition, the Police also secured a car with the Isuzu type open tub with the police number DT 9754 DA carrying the fuel.

Meanwhile, Elaku and the evidence were secured around a gas station in Sampara District, Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. Rico explained that the disclosure began with the rampant queues of people at the Public Fuel Filling Station (SPBU) in the Bumi Anoa area.

"After we investigated and monitored it, it turned out that someone abused the fuel to sell it, not the designation," he said.

Perpetrators smuggled fuel with the mode of assembling vehicle tanks and lining up at various gas stations in the jurisdiction of the Southeast Sulawesi Regional Police.

"Then they collect them somewhere to be resold to other areas. After we got the information, we revealed it and it turned out that they were selling Central Sulawesi," said Rico.

The arrested perpetrators played a role in collecting Pertalite fuel and selling it to Central Sulawesi.

"The perpetrator has also repeatedly carried out his actions. In terms of buying the BBM, with a capital of Rp. 330 thousand per jerry can, it is then sold to Central Sulawesi for Rp. 400 thousand per jerry can," said Rico.

To account for his actions, said Rico, his party ensnared the perpetrators under Article 55 of the Law on Oil and Gas, with the threat of a sentence of six years in prison.