KOTA KINABALU: Police here believe that they have crippled a syndicate smuggling fuel to a neighbouring country with the arrest of seven people and the seizure of RM5.5mil worth of subsidised petrol in Semporna.

       The syndicate was caught with about 680,200 litres of petrol on barges and lorries when a police team raided their base of operations in the Sungai Pegagau area on Wednesday (March 23).

       Sabah General Operation Force (GOF) Brigade Commander Senior Asst Comm Abdul Rani Alias said that the suspects arrested are aged between 26 and 42 and are the barge crew and lorry drivers.

       He said the case has been handed over to the enforcement officers of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for further action, adding that it is being investigated under Section 20(1) of the Control of Supply Act 1961.

       SAC Abdul Rani said that the raid was coordinated by the special intelligence and investigation branch under the police’s Internal Security and Public Order Division from Bukit Aman with personnel from the Tawau based 14th GOF battalion.