The Area Fishermen's Association (PNK) has been traced as the mastermind in abusing the subsidised diesel for fishermen which had resulted in the government losing millions of ringgit.

The Director of the Special Operations Division of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Mohd Jamidan Abdullah said besides the PNK, jetty operators, boat owners, illegal tank owners and individuals who owned depots were also the intermediary agents to the extent that the abuse of subsidised diesel by these syndicates had become rampant in the past few years.

The activities of these syndicates were uncovered following a five-month intelligence carried out by 80 members of the MACC and the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism.

The special operation was carried out in four states namely Perak, Pahang, Perlis and Kedah, he told a news conference in Ipoh today.

He said the MACC with the cooperation of the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism succeeded in detaining 27 individuals and impounded 414,000 litres of diesel worth more than half a million ringgit in the special operation codenamed 'Ops Nano' which began in June.

- Bernama