Three nabbed for selling fake oil, fuel

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Police yesterday arrested a serviceman and two civilians in Bekasi for allegedly producing and selling fake lubricant oil and diesel fuel.

The chief of the military police, Col. Hendardji, said his personnel also confiscated five petrol trucks, 120 drums (containing 30,000 liters) of oil, five mixing machines and several printing machines.

He identified the alleged culprits as Hutapea, Hutabarat and a marine First Sgt. Suroso.

"The three suspects are still being questioned here," Hendardji said at the Jakarta Military Police headquarters on Jl. Guntur in South Jakarta.

"The two civilians will be sent later to the Bekasi Police precinct for further investigation."

Preliminary investigations had suggested that Hutapea had bought the diesel fuel from the state-owned oil company PT Pertamina and mixed it with kerosene before selling the substitute diesel fuel to shops in Bekasi.

Hutapea allegedly admitted to running the business for almost 20 years, Hendardji said.

Separately, Hutabarat, who ran an illegal business with his serviceman counterpart, Suroso, allegedly admitted to mixing and selling phony lubrication oil bearing the brand names Shell, Esso and Mesran-Pertamina for almost one and a half years, he said.

Sgt. Suroso was arrested while driving a military truck loaded with drums of the lubrication oil in Bekasi.

It was still unknown how the serviceman managed to use the military truck for transporting the oil.

Hendardji said Suroso would be court-martialled and fired if proven guilty.

Hendardji said police were tipped-off by a local resident who dialed 122 at the Alert Center, which was set up by the Jakarta Military Command last year.

"I hope more people would call us via 122 if they see any crimes, especially incidents involving military officers," he said. (jun)