330 suspects arrested in 13 days as authorities move to protect energy security and low-income households.
Indonesia’s national police have uncovered large-scale abuse of subsidised fuel and LPG, arresting hundreds across the country in a rapid operation aimed at safeguarding energy subsidies meant for vulnerable communities.
330 Suspects And Rp 243.6 Billion In State Losses
Between April 7 and 20, 2026, Bareskrim Polri and other agencies arrested 330 suspects in connection with the misuse of subsidised fuel (BBM) and LPG, across 223 different crime scenes nationwide. Deputy Chief of the National Police Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) Inspector-General Nunung Syaifuddin announced the figures at a press conference at Bareskrim headquarters in South Jakarta on April 21. He said the abuse had caused an estimated state loss of Rp 243.6 billion, diverting subsidies intended to keep basic energy needs affordable amid global market volatility.
Modus Operandi: Hoarding, Tampering And Reselling
Irjen Nunung detailed a range of methods used by the suspects, including hoarding subsidised fuel and LPG, transferring contents between containers, adulterating products, modifying gas cylinders, manipulating transport documents and reselling subsidised products at industrial prices for large profits. He stressed that every litre of subsidised fuel and every LPG cylinder illegally diverted represents a theft from small farmers, fishers, traders, public transport drivers and other vulnerable groups. According to him, the police are taking firm legal action to deter such crimes and to help maintain national energy resilience and price stability.
No Impunity For Networks Behind Energy Crimes
The two-star general vowed that police would not hesitate to act against anyone involved in subsidy abuse networks, from on-the-ground operators to financiers and backroom coordinators. “Whoever is involved, whether field perpetrators, funders, collectors or actors behind the scenes, will be dealt with firmly and processed to completion,” he said. He added that authorities will also target those who deliberately create space or protection for energy-sector criminals, signalling wider scrutiny of supply chains around petrol stations and LPG distribution.
Fuel Stations Implicated And Real-World Impacts
Nunung revealed that 65 petrol stations (SPBU) were recorded as being involved in subsidised BBM and LPG crimes between 2025 and 2026. Of these cases, 46 have been declared complete (P21), while 19 are still under investigation. He linked the illegal practices directly to everyday complaints from citizens, including shortages of 3-kilogram LPG cylinders, difficulty obtaining subsidised diesel, and long queues at fuel stations. These disruptions, he said, are “tangible impacts” of subsidy abuse on ordinary Indonesians who rely on subsidised energy to run households and small businesses.
Large Seizures Of Fuel, LPG And Vehicles
From April 7 to 20, police seized a wide range of evidence: 403,158 litres of subsidised diesel (solar), 58,656 litres of Pertalite, 8,473 LPG 3-kilogram cylinders, 322 LPG 5.5-kilogram cylinders, 4,441 LPG 12-kilogram cylinders, 110 LPG 50-kilogram cylinders and 161 vehicles allegedly used in the operations. These confiscations are intended both to dismantle existing networks and to send a strong signal that enforcement is intensifying. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, the crackdown underscores how subsidy leakage and energy crime can destabilise supply and prices across borders, reinforcing the need for tighter oversight, transparent distribution and regional cooperation on energy security.
Indonesia’s latest operation against subsidised fuel and LPG abuse highlights the government’s determination to protect limited fiscal resources and ensure that assistance reaches low-income households rather than criminal networks. For Indonesians, it promises fairer access to essential energy and reduced scarcity, while for Singaporeans and other regional observers it demonstrates how firm enforcement and tighter controls are central to maintaining stable, affordable energy flows in an era of global price shocks and rising demand.
Sources: Batampos (2026) , Tribun News (2026)
Keywords: Subsidised BBM Cases, LPG 3 Kilogram Scarcity, Irjen Nunung Syaifuddin, SPBU Involvement, National Police Crackdown, Energy Crime Indonesia
