Buru Police 2 Owners Of Illegal Oil Processing That Exploded In Muba

The press conference for the suspect is illegal for refinery at the South Sumatra Police Headquarters, Wednesday (31/1/2024). (ANTARA/M IMAM PRAMANA)

PALEMBANG - The South Sumatra Police (Sumsel) is hunting for two owners of crude oil processing or illegal refinery in Musi Banyuasin Regency who exploded some time ago.

Head of Sub-Directorate IV for Certain Crimes, Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation of the South Sumatra Police, AKBP Bagus Suryo Wibowo, said the pursuit of the two people was carried out after the police managed to arrest four perpetrators of illegal crude processing in Musi Banyusin which exploded and caused a fire.

Currently, the four perpetrators who have been named as suspects are under police investigation. They were charged with Article 53 of Law Number 22 of 2001 concerning Oil and Gas with a threat of five years in prison and a maximum fine of IDR 5 billion.

"Meanwhile, the causes of the fires where illegal crude oil was distilled vary, ranging from engine damage to sparks caused when the engine was hit by a tree," Bagus said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 31.

He explained that the four arrested perpetrators had the status of owners and illegal crude oil processing workers. They are Hidayat and Hairul (42) illegal refinery businesses in Pal 8 Sereka Village, Babat Toman District;Rusdi (43) a refinery illegal worker in Talang Kambang Dusun V, Bangun Sari Village, Babat Toman District; and Menri (37) a refinery illegal worker in Pal 8 Sereka Village, Babat Toman District.

"We are still developing to find two owners of illegal crude oil processing sites. Handling has reached the fingerprint stage, we will immediately raise it to the prosecutor's office," he said.

The South Sumatra Police continue to control and socialize the dangers of processing illegal crude oil to the public due to the much damage caused by these activities.

"We have socialized it because there are quite a lot of damage and losses incurred. We will also carry out this control by preventive and preemptive means," he said.