KUALA LUMPUR: Police have crippled a syndicate involved in misappropriating Petronas diesel with the arrest of 27 suspects in two special operations in July and October. last year.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said the arrest was the result of Petronas' internal monitoring and investigation which detected the company's diesel theft since 2021.

He said the modus operandi of the syndicate, which operated on the east coast, was to transfer and sell diesel from vessels that are detected through the Vessel Fuel Monitoring System records to marine vessels operating with Petronas.

"All the arrested suspects are from various shipping sectors including the crew, and involved a loss of RM12 million," he said in a statement today.

Following investigation, he said, two men had been charged with three counts for an offence under Section 408 of the Penal Code and one charge under Section 414 of the same law.

--BERNAMA