4 Perpetrators Of Elpiji Subsidy Opposite In Karawang Arrested By Police

The Karawang Police have revealed the misuse of 3 kilograms of LPG subsidized LPG. (ANTARA/Ali Khumaini)

The Karawang Police have arrested four people suspected of being the perpetrators of the misuse of three kilograms of subsidized LPG gas in the urban area of Karawang, West Java.

"The four perpetrators were arrested on Friday (25/8) in the Karawang Wetan Village area," said Karawang Police Chief AKBP Wirdhanto Hadicaksono, as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, August 26.

The disclosure of the case of misuse of subsidized LPG was carried out on public reports.

In accordance with the report, at one of the locations in the East Chinangoh area, Karawang Wetan Village, East Karawang District, Karawang suspected that there was a practice of misuse of subsidized LPG gas.

"When checked at the location, it was true that four people were found moving the contents of the three kilograms subsidized LPG gas into the contents of non-subsidized LPG gas of 5.5 kilograms and 12 kilograms. At that time they were immediately arrested," he said.

During the arrest, the police confiscated a number of evidences such as 200 three-kilogram LPG cylinders, 60 12-kilogram cylinders, 90 5.5 kilograms of LPG, and one digital scale.

Other evidence confiscated was one bag of blue LPG gas cylinder seal cap, one bag of yellow LPG cylinder seal, one plastic bag containing gas rubber, 28 iron pipes and three cars.

In accordance with the interim examination, the perpetrators, each with the initials HA (64), HS (48), BA (32), and SK (52) have carried out subsidized LPG abuse since the last year.

It is stated that every month, they can produce or mix up to 360 12-kilogram LPG cylinders.

Meanwhile, since 2022 until they were finally arrested, they have mixed 2,880 12-kilogram LPG cylinders.

The 12 kilogram tube from the injection is sold at a price of IDR 160.000 per 12 kilogram tube.

Meanwhile, the injection of 12 kilograms of cylinders costs about four three kilograms of LPG cylinders.

The police chief said, from the sale of three kilograms of subsidized LPG gas abuse since 2022 until now, the perpetrators have made a profit of around Rp 249 million.

Meanwhile, state losses due to this illegal practice are estimated at IDR 3,168,000,000.

The police chief said that anyone who misuses the transportation and/or trading of subsidized goods is threatened with a maximum sentence of six years or a maximum fine of Rp. 60,000,000,000.

This is in accordance with Article 55 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 22 of 2001 concerning Gas and Earth Oil, as amended by the cluster Article 40 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation in conjunction with Article 55 of the Criminal Code.