Exposed! 'Peeing on the Road' Modus Operandi of Subsidised Fuel Mafia, 12 People Arrested

The Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) of the South Sumatra Police has uncovered a syndicate of mafia diverting subsidised fuel oil (BBM) in Musi Rawas Regency. The case was revealed through a catch-and-arrest operation (OTT) on Tuesday, 21 April 2026. Twelve individuals were secured without resistance while transferring subsidised BBM at an illegal warehouse on the Lubuk Linggau–Sorolangun highway. “We will not allow mafia practices that harm the state and society to continue,” said the Head of Criminal Investigation of South Sumatra Police, Commissioner Pol Doni Satrya Sembiring, in his statement on Thursday, 23 April 2026. The modus operandi of the perpetrators, known as ‘peeing on the road’, involves illegally siphoning and reducing the load of subsidised BBM from tankers that should be distributed to official petrol stations. The siphoned BBM is then stored in illegal warehouses. At the site, the fuel is allegedly mixed with distilled oil before being resold at higher prices to gain profits. “The diversion of subsidised BBM, especially amid current price increases, is a serious crime that dances on the suffering of the people. We act decisively without favour,” he stated. In this case, the 12 arrested individuals have various roles, from tanker drivers and warehouse managers to field workers. Police also seized several pieces of evidence, including one BBM tanker truck, dozens of drums containing illegal BBM, operational equipment such as hoses and siphoning pump machines, and five operational vehicles. “This dirty practice of stealing allocations is the root cause of BBM shortages at the petrol station level, which severely disrupts the economic stability of the lower classes,” he added. Meanwhile, the Head of Public Relations of South Sumatra Police, Commissioner Pol Nandang Mu’min Wijaya, confirmed that all perpetrators have been designated as suspects and detained for investigation purposes. “South Sumatra Police stands firmly in supporting government policies to maintain national economic stability. We guarantee the security of energy distribution and urge the public not to hesitate to report to the nearest police if they find suspicious activities or warehouses related to BBM distribution,” said Nandang.