Oplos Gas Melon To LPG 12 Kg, Middle-aged Man Arrested In Sukabumi

The suspect who mixed LPG with the initials CBS when practicing how to mix subsidized gas into non-subsidized gas on Saturday, September 9. (Between/Aditya Rohman)

The Sukabumi Police have arrested a middle-aged man suspected of mixing subsidized LPG into a non-subsidized house in Graha Kiara Lawang Asri, Sukabumi Regency, West Java.

"From the results of the house raid in Citepus Village, Palabuhanratu District, we arrested CBS alias PE (49) who mixed 3 kg LPG (subsidized as LPG 12 kg (subsidized)," said Sukabumi Police Chief AKBP Maruly Pardede in Sukabumi on Saturday, September 9, confiscated by Antara.

Maruly said the arrests were made on Friday, September 8 thanks to information from the public which was then followed up by raids on one of the houses used as a place for LPG gas (BBG) mixing.

In addition to arresting the suspect, the police also confiscated evidence of dozens of gas cylinders measuring 12 kg and 3 kg melon gas.

From the suspect's statement, the modus operandi was to move the contents of the subsidized gas cylinder to a non-subsidized 12 bkg.

To fill the non-subsidized gas cylinder, the suspect needed four subsidized gas cylinders. In that amount, within a week CBS managed to collect 15 non-subsidized gas cylinders that are usually sold to shops or stalls at a price of Rp220,000 to Rp280 thousand per tube measuring 12 kg.

According to Maruly, the suspect's capital was only around Rp. 80,000 to buy four cylinders of subsidy gas, so that on average one non-subsidized gas cylinder CBS made a profit of Rp. 140 thousand to Rp. 200 thousand. If in a week it produces 15 tubes, fortunately it can reach Rp. 3 million.

"During the raid, officers found the suspect moving the contents of the subsidized gas cylinder to a subsidy using an iron pipe that had been modified as a regulator," he added.

He said the suspect circulated the non-subsidized LPG in the Palabuhanratu area and its surroundings. The impact of CBS's actions was that there was a shortage of 3 kg LPG in the community. Until now, his party is still developing this case, regarding whether there are other suspects who participated in CBS' illegal practices.

The perpetrator was charged with article 40 number 9 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia (UURI) Number 6 of 2023 concerning the stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of UURI Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation into a law that changed Article 55 of UURI Number 22 of 2001 concerning Oil and Gas. Earth with the threat of imprisonment for a maximum of six years and a maximum fine of Rp. 60 billion.