Police foil sales of mixed fuel

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: The local air and water police unit (Polairud) foiled on Friday attempts to transport adulterated gasoline from Makassar Strait to other cities outside the province in the early hours of Friday.

Earlier, Polairud caught workers of CV Minas Gasiondo mixing gasoline with other substances at the fisherman village of Paotere.

"We arrested them when they were about to leave with the adulterated gasoline for their waiting ship," chief of the air and water police unit Sr. Comr. TP Siahaan told reporters on Friday.

There were no details on how many people were arrested in connection with the crime.

During the arrest, police also seized a 15,000 liter-capacity gasoline container and a vessel, suspected to be used to transport the gasoline to other places outside Makassar.

According to Siahaan the suspects will be charged under Law No 8/1999 on consumer protection and could face five years imprisonment or be fined Rp 2 billion. (27)