Oplos Gas Melon To LPG 12 Kg In Purbalingga, Perpetrators Of Transport Couriers Arrested

JATENG - The Purbalingga Resort Police (Polres) in Central Java (Central Java), managed to uncover a case of subsidized LPG abuse by transferring the contents of a 3 kilogram melon gas cylinder to a 12 kilogram non-subsidized LPG tube.

Purbalingga Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner of Police Achmad Akbar said the disclosure of the case began with a public report which was then followed up through a closed investigation.

"This case was revealed on Wednesday (10/9). The perpetrator, on behalf of Reno (43), a resident of Candinata Village, Kutasari District, Purbalingga Regency, is known to work as a transport courier for one of the gas distribution agents," he said at a press conference at the Purbalingga Police Headquarters, Friday, confiscated by Antara.

According to him, the actions of the perpetrators were very detrimental because they abused subsidized LPG which should have been intended for poor households and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

In carrying out his actions, he said, the perpetrator transferred the contents of the 3 kilograms subsidized tube to a 12 kilogram non-subsidized tube to be sold directly to consumers.

"From the results of the disclosure, investigators confiscated a number of evidences in the form of 3 kilograms of LPG gas cylinders, 12 kilograms of pink and blue cylinders, as well as equipment to move the contents of the gas. The police also found six 12 kilograms of cylinders containing the results of the mixing," he said.

In addition, he said, the police confiscated 16 units of empty 12 kilograms of pink cylinders, two empty tubes of 12 kilograms of blue, and 87 empty tubes of 3 kilograms that had been transferred.

He said from the perpetrator's statement, the activity had been carried out for about a year.

In one week, he continued, the perpetrators were able to produce seven to 10 12-kilogram cylinders containing mixed gas.

According to him, the cylinder was sold at a price of Rp. 190 thousand to Rp. 210 thousand per unit, while the four subsidized 3-kilogram tubes that were transferred were equivalent to one 12-kilogram non-subsidized tube.

"If converted, this act causes state losses because the government's subsidy funds for the community are not right on target," he said.

He said the perpetrator's mode was carried out by collecting the seal of the former gas trading business entity and then reused it to manipulate the refilled 12 kilogram tube.

For his actions, he said, the perpetrators were charged with Article 55 of the Oil and Gas Law as amended by Article 40 of the Job Creation Law with a maximum penalty of six years in prison, Article 62 of the Consumer Protection Law with a penalty of five years in prison, and Article 32 of the Legal Metrology Law with a penalty of six months in prison.

"We apply these three articles cumulatively to provide a deterrent effect," he asserted.

The police chief appealed to the public not to be tempted by similar practices, as well as to encourage the active role of residents in reporting misuse of subsidized LPG distribution.