Police arrest three perpetrators of subsidised fuel misuse in Batam
Batam (ANTARA) - The Riau Islands Regional Police (Polda Kepri) have arrested three perpetrators involved in the misuse and illegal distribution of subsidised fuel oil (BBM) type Pertalite in Batam City.
The Head of Public Relations of Polda Kepri, Senior Commissioner Nona Pricillia Ohei, stated in Batam on Friday that the arrests were a follow-up to three police reports received on 13 April 2026.
“We followed up on three reports related to alleged misuse of subsidised BBM, with an estimated state loss of Rp692.16 million,” she said.
The Director of Special Criminal Investigation of Polda Kepri, Senior Commissioner Silvester Simamora, explained that the perpetrators used a modus operandi of exploiting recommendation letters to purchase large quantities of subsidised BBM at several petrol stations (SPBU) in Batam.
“The perpetrators used recommendation letters to buy Pertalite, which was then resold at a higher price,” he said.
The BBM was purchased at SPBU in the Temiang and Sungai Harapan areas, then transported using pickup trucks.
From suspect HM, the police seized 44 jerry cans containing 1,452 litres of Pertalite, two bundles of recommendation letters from the Batam Transportation Agency, and cash of Rp1.4 million.
The three perpetrators are now detained at the Detention House of the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of Polda Kepri and are charged under Article 40 of Law No. 22 of 2001 on Oil and Gas and Article 55 of the Criminal Code.
In addition, investigators are still delving into a similar case involving the misuse of approximately 2,000 litres of subsidised diesel transported by truck.
“For the subsidised diesel, the perpetrators bought it for around Rp6,800 per litre and resold it for Rp10,000 to Rp12,000 per litre. We are still investigating this,” Silvester said.
Investigators will also develop the case, including tracing the possible involvement of parties from the Batam Transportation Agency in issuing the recommendation letters.