Babel Police Reveals Subsidized Gas Oplosan Practice

PANGKAL PINANG - The Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Bangka Belitung Islands Police revealed the practice of selling subsidized LPG gas of three kilograms in a warehouse in Bangka Regency and named the owner as a suspect.

The disclosure of the case was carried out by Subdit I Industry and Trade of the Babel Police's Criminal Investigation Unit, after receiving a report from the public regarding the alleged adulteration of LPG gas which was allegedly the cause of the scarcity of subsidized gas in the area.

"Ditreskrimsus managed to arrest the perpetrator and uncover the case of subsidized LPG gas smuggling, this practice was carried out by the suspect in Sinarbaru Village, Sungailiat, Bangka Regency," said Head of Public Relations of Babel Police, Kombes Pol Agus Sugiyarso in Pangkalpinang, Saturday.

During the raid, the police secured two people, namely Fa alias Ijal (45) as the owner of the warehouse and S alias Man (44) as a worker. From the results of the examination, Fa was named a suspect and was detained at the Babel Police Headquarters, while S had a witness status because he admitted that he only had the task of transporting gas cylinders.

From the location of the incident, officers seized 164 LPG gas cylinders of various sizes, consisting of three kilogram and 12 kilogram cylinders, as well as equipment used for refueling activities.

"In practice, the suspect refilled a three-kilogram subsidized gas into a 12-kilogram non-subsidized tube," he said.

Based on the suspect's confession, the illegal practice has been carried out for about seven months. The gas from the oplosan was then sold to a number of shops in the Bangka Regency area at a price of around Rp. 180 thousand/12 kilogram tube.

In addition to gas cylinders and equipment, the police also secured a car unit used to distribute the oplosan gas.

All evidence was taken to the Babel Police Headquarters for further investigation.

For his actions, the suspect was charged with Article 55 of Law Number 22 of 2001 concerning Oil and Gas as amended by Article 40 of Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Employment, with a maximum penalty of six years in prison.

"This disclosure is a form of commitment by the Regional Police Chief of Bangka Belitung Islands, Inspector General of Police Viktor T. Sihombing, in taking firm action against perpetrators of misuse of subsidized gas. The Regional Police ordered that every complaint from the public, especially regarding the scarcity of subsidized LPG gas, should be immediately followed up firmly," he said.