Bali Police Arrest 7 Hoarders of Subsidized Fuel, One Suspect Sold Rp100,000 per 1.5 Liters
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- Kepolisian Daerah Bali menangkap tujuh pria yang diduga menimbun solar dan pertalite bersubsidi di lima lokasi berbeda.
- Salah satu pelaku menjual BBM bersubsidi dengan harga Rp100.000 per botol berisi 1,5 liter melalui promosi media sosial dan transaksi COD.
- Para tersangka dijerat pasal penyalahgunaan niaga BBM bersubsidi dengan ancaman enam tahun penjara dan denda hingga Rp60 miliar.
The Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) of the Bali Police, together with the Denpasar City Police, Badung Police, Buleleng Police, and Gianyar Police, arrested seven men suspected of hoarding subsidized diesel and pertalite fuel. The arrests were made separately at several locations across the Island of the Gods, following fuel shortages that triggered long queues at many gas stations (SPBU) in recent days.
One suspect was reported to have sold subsidized fuel at Rp100,000 per 1.5-liter bottle—far above the official retail price. The modus operandi varied, from exploiting vehicle barcodes and agricultural diesel purchase recommendation letters to offering products through social media marketplaces with a cash on delivery (COD) payment system.
Head of Public Relations of the Bali Police, Kombes Pol Ariasandy, confirmed the disclosures. He stressed that authorities would not tolerate any form of misuse of subsidized fuel. "We are taking this firm action to protect the rights of people who genuinely need the subsidized fuel," he said in Denpasar, Friday (16/10).
The disclosure began with an operation by Ditreskrimsus of the Bali Police that apprehended IMS (64) on an empty lot near SPBU 54.821.04, Jalan Dr. Soekarno, Delod Peken, Tabanan, on Saturday (10/10) at around 00.30 WITA. From that location, police seized 300 liters of subsidized diesel, one Suzuki Carry ST 100 unit, 15 jerrycans of various sizes, a vehicle barcode, and a sheet of agricultural diesel purchase recommendation letter. According to Ariasandy, the suspect admitted to having run this illegal practice since early 2026 and planned to resell the fuel at his stall.
From separate disclosures, the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Denpasar City Police and police stations in the region apprehended six other suspects. Evidence seized included plastic bottles containing pertalite, cash from sales, pickup vehicles, motorcycles, hoses, and mobile phones. The suspects are charged under Article 55 of Law Number 22 of 2001 on Oil and Gas as amended by Law Number 6 of 2023 on Job Creation, which regulates the misuse of transportation and/or trade of subsidized fuel.
"We ask for cooperation from the public. If you find or suspect any hoarding or diversion of subsidized fuel and gas distribution, immediately report it to the nearest police station or through the official Police complaint channel 110," said Ariasandy.
This case highlights gaps in the distribution of subsidized fuel that has long been a fiscal burden on the state. Hoarding practices not only harm entitled consumers but also erode the effectiveness of energy subsidies. In Bali, shortages triggered by seasonal demand spikes and limited supply have become fertile ground for speculators. Police have deployed a special team to follow up on public reports, including suspected involvement of wider networks.
Going forward, law enforcement against misuse of subsidized fuel will be a test for regional energy governance. The question is whether these arrests are enough to create a deterrent effect, or whether they signal the need to overhaul the distribution system—from barcode verification to gas station supervision—so that subsidies hit the right targets.
