Fuel smuggling rampant in Atambua

Fuel smuggling rampant in Atambua

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: Fuel smuggling in Belu regency bordering East Timor has shown no sign of slowing down although the local police have arrested many suspected smugglers, a community leader said on Wednesday.

Blasius Joseph Manek, who is also the deputy speaker of the Belu legislature, said that thousands of liters of fuel had been sold to East Timorese through illegal markets near the border area in Silawan, Atambua.

"The smugglers are not necessarily traders, but also villagers who take advantage of the central government's fuel subsidy. I'm afraid of a fuel scarcity in Atambua if the smuggling keeps going on," he said.

Blasius called on people to avoid smuggling because only the poor would suffer.

He also suggested that the local administration impose as heavy a punishment as possible for convicted fuel smugglers. --Antara