The Polda Metro Jaya’s Special Criminal Investigation Directorate holds a press conference regarding the fraudulent operation involving the adulteration of subsidized 3-kg gas cylinders into non-subsidized 12-kg and 55-kg gas cylinders.

progresifjaya.co.id, JAKARTA – The Polda Metro Jaya’s Special Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) has uncovered a fraudulent adulteration operation involving 3-kilogram subsidized gas cylinders. The perpetrators carried out this operation by injecting and transferring the contents of subsidized gas cylinders into non-subsidized 12-kilogram and 50-kilogram cylinders.

The Director of Special Criminal Investigation at the Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Pol Victor Dean Mackbon stated in a statement, that his team uncovered the subsidized gas adulteration scam at six locations in West Jakarta, East Jakarta, Bekasi City, and Tangerang Regency. The locations are, two in East Jakarta, one in West Jakarta, one in Bekasi City, and two in Tangerang Regency.

Investigators from the Polda Metro Jaya’s Ditreskrimsus also arrested 11 suspects. Three suspects acted as owners of the location and also acted as “doctors” or injectors; one acted as owner; four operators, two drivers, and one assistant.

Evidence recovered from the location included 1.259 gas cylinders. These included 954 subsidized 3-kg cylinders, 272 non-subsidized 12-kg cylinders, and three non-subsidized 55-kg cylinders.

Other evidence seized included one motorcycle, five four-wheeled vehicles, seven 12-kg sealed bags, one package of gas cylinder rubber seals, and 85 syringes.

“The alleged perpetrator’s modus operandi was to transfer gas from subsidized 3 kg cylinders to non-subsidized 12 kg and 50 kg cylinders and then sell them,”
said Kombes Pol Victor during a press conference at the Polda Metro Jaya Headquarters on Thursday, April 16, 2026.

“The empty 12 kg non-subsidized LPG cylinders were lined up and then iced to cool them. The gas was then transferred directly to the cylinders used for sale,” he added.

He also explained the revenue generated from the fraudulent activities at each adulteration location. The two locations in East Jakarta had an estimated revenue of Rp50,8 million and Rp1,3 billion, respectively. Meanwhile, the adulteration location in West Jakarta had an estimated revenue of Rp793 million.

The adulteration location in Bekasi City had an estimated revenue of Rp50 million. Meanwhile, the two locations in Tangerang Regency had an estimated revenue of Rp495 million and Rp9 million, respectively.

“So the total profit from this fraudulent operation is approximately Rp2,7 billion. However, we are not disclosing the suspects’ roles in detail,” explained Kombes Pol Victor.

Investigators have charged the 11 suspects who have been detained under Article 45 (9) of Law Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation and Article 55 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. The potential penalty is a maximum of six years in prison and/or a fine of up to Rp60 billion.

Writer/Editor: Bembo