Adulterated LPG in Bogor causes state losses of Rp13.2 billion

Bogor Regency (ANTARA) - Bogor Police Resort has uncovered illegal practices of adulterating subsidised 3kg LPG gas at two locations, causing state losses of up to Rp13.2 billion per month. Bogor Police Chief AKBP Wikha Ardilestanto stated that the uncovering was carried out in the Sukaraja and Cileungsi areas following reports from the public via the 110 hotline service. “This is a criminal act of adulterating subsidised 3kg LPG gas into non-subsidiary 12kg cylinders, harming the state and the public,” Wikha said in a press statement at the Bogor Police Resort headquarters in Cibinong, Bogor Regency, West Java, on Friday. He explained that at the first location in Sukaraja Kaum Village, Sukaraja Village, Sukaraja Subdistrict, officers found 145 LPG cylinders of various sizes, gas injection tools, and one pickup truck. Meanwhile, the second uncovering was carried out in Dayeuh Village, Cileungsi Subdistrict, targeting seven locations at once. In the operation, police arrested two suspects with initials S and H, who are a married couple. The two were caught in the act of illegally adulterating gas. From this location, officers seized 648 gas cylinders, consisting of 345 3kg cylinders, 286 12kg cylinders, and 17 5.5kg cylinders. Wikha revealed that the illegal practice provides significant profits for the perpetrators, around Rp161,000 per 12kg cylinder. “In a day, the perpetrators can gain profits of up to Rp1.3 billion, with potential state losses reaching Rp13.2 billion per month,” he said. Overall, from the two locations, police seized 793 gas cylinders, 76 injection tools, four scales, and one pickup truck. He emphasised that the adulteration of subsidised LPG is highly detrimental because it diverts the rights of small communities to unauthorised parties. “This enforcement is to ensure subsidies are on target and to prevent state losses that could reach hundreds of billions,” he stated. The perpetrators face a maximum prison sentence of six years and a fine of up to Rp60 billion.