Police Arrest Perpetrators Of Distribution Of Hundreds Of Subsidy Elpiji Tulungagung

BETWEEN PHOTO/Desyan Sujarwoko)

TULUNGAGUNG - Polres Tulungagung, East Java, arrested the perpetrators of distilling hundreds of subsidized LPG cylinders that were transferred to non-subsidized tubes measuring 12 kilograms, for personal gain of up to tens of millions of rupiah during their actions since June 2024.

The Head of the Tulungagung Police, AKBP Taat Resdi, said that the AT (51) perpetrator who was named a suspect acted as a driver.

"This suspect is a subsidized LPG distributor and gets a share from bases (SPPBE) of 180 subsidized LPG cylinders every week," said Police Chief Taat Resdi as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, December 30.

However, in its fraudulent practice, not all subsidized LPGs are sold by AT to the public.

"Of the 180 3-kilogram tubes that are allotted for suspect AT as the official distributor, only 120 cylinders are sold to consumers. The remaining 60 tubes are illegally distilled into 12 kilograms of non-subsidized tubes with the aim of getting personal benefits," said Taat.

AT investigators admitted to moving gas contents from four subsidized LPG cylinders measuring 3 kilograms to one non-subsidized LPG cylinder measuring 12 kilograms. Thus, every week AT, on average, moves 60 subsidized LPG cylinders to 15 non-subsidized tubes.

Non-subsidized gas cylinders were then sold at a low price, between Rp. 150,000 to Rp. 160 thousand per cylinder. This price is cheaper than the price of non-subsidized LPG with the same tube capacity (12 kg) in the market which is usually redeemed by consumers at a price in the range of Rp. 190 thousand/tubes.

"But according to the confessions of several witnesses who had purchased non-susidized LPG from AT agents in the Ngantru area, Tulungagung, the contents were finished more quickly," he continued.

AT has been in action since June 2024. He admitted that he had learned the knowledge of distilling subsidized LPGs into non-subsidized tubes from the Youtube channel. AT took the initiative to practice this illegal act to make a bigger profit.

With an average profit per non-subsidized tube of IDR 90 thousand, in a week the total net profit was obtained by AT from the sale of non-subsidized LPG which amounted to 15 tubes reaching IDR 1.35 million or around IDR 5 million to IDR 6 million per month.

For his actions, AT was charged with Article 40 number 9 of Law No. 6 of 2023 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation into Law as amendments to Article 55 of Law No. 22 of 2001 concerning Oil and Gas. Earth, with a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a maximum fine of IDR 60 billion.

The evidence that was secured by the police included 25 syringes, five plastic covers of 12 kg LPG gas, 10 packs of blue seal containing 100 seeds, one pickup, and two refrigerators.