South Sumatra Police Detain Illegal Fuel Carrier Ships

South Sumatra Police Chief Inspector General A Rachmad Wibowo inspected the illegal fuel transport ship, Saturday (23/9/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Polda Sumsel)

PALEMBANG - South Sumatra Police detained a self-propelled oil barrier (SPOB) Dinar Jaya ship carrying illegal refinery fuel from Musi Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra.

"The SPOB Dinar Jaya ship that was secured was based on information from the Palembang KSOP that it did not have a sailing permit and never reported it, then during the inspection of the ship's documents, no documents were found," said South Sumatra Police Chief Inspector General A Rachmad Wibowo as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, September 23.

He said the entire crew had fled and the South Sumatra Police continued to search from the start and the owner of the ship.

The ship was secured because it was about to load illegal fuel for premium types or gasoline and pertalite which were thought to have come from Musi Banyuasin (Muba) Regency.

The ship that has been secured was also found a sign that reads PT Teladan Makmur Jaya accompanied by an oil and gas trading business registration number of 124/NU-BBM-IU/BPH Migas/2013, oil and gas emission with a business license code: 05:NW.03.29.00.139.

"We will confirm to BPH Migas whether the number listed on the ship is the original number," said the South Sumatra Police Chief.

As much as 10 tons of pertalite oil found in the hull of the ship is not a product of PT Pertamina.

"The cargo transported by this ship is the result of a distillation from the community (illegal refinery)," he said.

The practice of distributing refined oil from Musi Banyuasin Regency is also mixed with Pertamina's official fuel production.

The illegal fuel will be marketed to coal-carrying vessels.

In fact, according to him, the smuggling of illegal refinery fuel from Musi Banyuasin Regency by sea has a very wide reach between islands.

Apart from that, the disclosure of illegal refinery oil smuggling proves that until now illegal drilling activities are still ongoing in South Sumatra, especially in Musi Banyuasin Regency.

He admits that until now there are still many locations for luring or illegal refinery in Musi Banyuasin district.

The illegal refinery continuity in Musi Banyuasin Regency is due to the disparity in the selling price of crude oil which is too far between the distillation site and Petro Muba, namely BUMD from Musi Banyuasin in the crude oil transportation sector to Pertamina.

"Pertamina bought from Petro Muba only 70 percent of the ICP (Indonesia Coal Price) price of around IDR 4,250, then Petro Muba bought from the public only 80 percent of what Pertamina paid for, approximately IDR 3,050," he explained.