KUCHING: Police are intensifying efforts to curb fuel smuggling activities across Sarawak, with operations currently underway to detect and dismantle illegal storage sites.
Sarawak Deputy Commissioner of Police Saifullizan Ishak said the focus is on preventing subsidised fuel from being smuggled out of the country, which primarily benefits foreign markets.
“Our focus right now is to prevent smuggling, especially the smuggling of oil outside the country,” he said when met after the 219th Police Day Commemoration Assembly here today.
He said enforcement teams are actively identifying illegal fuel deposits along key areas, including the extensive Sarawak River, as part of ongoing operations.
“We will make sure of all these illegal deposits all over Sarawak, and we will act together with other agencies,” he added.
Saifullizan added that the operation involves multiple enforcement units, including the General Operations Force (PGA) and other relevant agencies, with a coordinated approach to strengthen monitoring and enforcement.
He noted that the operation is still in progress, and no formal complaints have been recorded so far.
According to a report, smuggling of subsidised fuel remains a persistent issue driven by price disparities with neighbouring countries, with syndicates exploiting enforcement gaps to move fuel across borders for profit.
