LPG Adulteration Ring in Jogja Nets Rp75 Million a Month

The case of LPG cylinder adulteration in the Warung Boto area, Umbulharjo, Jogja, has been uncovered by police. The perpetrators are believed to have raked in profits of up to Rp75 million per month. The head of the Jogja Police Resort’s Criminal Investigation Unit, AKP Riski Adrian, said the culprits were able to transfer the contents of 3 kilogram subsidised LPG cylinders into 12 kilogram non-subsidised cylinders in significant numbers each day. ‘If we calculate from their operation, they can transfer the contents from 3 kg to 12 kg cylinders, roughly 20 cylinders per day,’ he said at a case briefing at Mapolresta Jogja on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. Adrian estimates that the monthly profit from these illegal activities is about Rp75 million. ‘If you look at it over a month, the profit is roughly Rp75 million,’ he added. He explained that the perpetrators used manual methods to move subsidised LPG contents into non-subsidised 5.5 kilogram and 12 kilogram cylinders. ‘For the 3 kg cylinders, they are placed on top and inverted, and the 5.5 kg and 12 kg cylinders are put into a bucket filled with water and ice to prevent them from heating up, according to workers.’ In practice, Adrian noted, a 5.5 kilogram LPG cylinder was filled using two subsidised 3 kilogram cylinders, while a 12 kilogram cylinder was filled from four subsidised 3 kilogram cylinders. ‘A 5.5 kg cylinder is filled using two 3 kg cylinders. For a 12 kg cylinder, it is four 3 kg cylinders,’ he said. Previously, the LPG subsidy fraud case came to light after residents smelled a strong gas odour from a rented house in Warung Boto, Umbulharjo, Jogja. Police arrested four suspects. Jogja Police Resort Chief, Police Commissioner Eva Guna Pandia, said the case began with reports from residents suspicious of persistent gas odour from morning until late afternoon. ‘Initially there was information from the public who smelled LPG odour from morning to afternoon, prompting them to report to Polresta Yogyakarta,’ Eva said at the case briefing at Mapolresta Jogja on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. Eva explained that the raid occurred on 14 May 2026 around 13:00 WIB at a rented house in Warung Boto, Umbulharjo, Jogja. During the search, police found two perpetrators transferring contents of subsidised 3 kilogram LPG cylinders into non-subsidised 5.5 kilogram and 12 kilogram cylinders. ‘At the location, the offenders were moving contents from 3 kg subsidised LPG into 5.5 kg and 12 kg non-subsidised cylinders,’ Eva said. Four suspects were detained in connection with the case. They are ST (53), owner of the business; AS (28), operations; and two other workers IW (35) and BI (43). Police seized the following evidence from the scene: a white Isuzu truck, a Grand Max pickup, 364 LPG cylinders of various sizes, 22 Zeppelin-brand regulator hoses, 22 large buckets, 20 used ice bags that have melted, 2 cylinder scales, and 125 red rubber gas seals,’ she added. (afn/alg)