Illegal Mobile Fuel Station Busted at Sau Mau Ping Estate
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A suspected illegal fuel transfer operation was uncovered at Sau Mau Ping Estate in Kwun Tong on 13 October after a security guard reported a petrol smell in the estate. Fire Services Department personnel later joined police and customs officers in a multi-department operation that uncovered an illegal filling station set up from a truck in the estate car park. Officers seized about 900 litres of petrol, along with refuelling equipment including a fuel dispenser and an electric pump, and arrested a truck driver at the scene. The case remains under investigation, while authorities have moved to step up vigilance in public housing estate car parks.
Key Points
- The Fire Services Department said it received a referral from law enforcement on 13 October after a Sau Mau Ping Estate security guard reported a petrol odour
- In the estate car park, officers found a suspected illegal fuel transfer operation and dismantled an illegal filling station converted from a truck.
- About 900 litres of petrol were seized, an amount authorities said could fill the tanks of about 20 private cars.
- Seized items included the truck involved, all petrol on board, and refuelling tools such as a fuel dispenser and an electric pump.
- A truck driver was arrested on suspicion of handling illicit fuel, with suspected offences involving the Dangerous Goods Ordinance and Dutiable Commodities Ordinance
Why It Matters
The case points to the fire and explosion risks posed when petrol is stored and transferred in residential estate car parks without proper fire safety installations. It also shows why multiple departments are now focusing on tighter patrols, suspicious vehicle identification and stronger awareness among property managers and residents