Counterfeit Engine Oil Syndicate Busted

Authorities have uncovered a counterfeit engine oil syndicate operating out of three premises in Ara Damansara and Kepong. This follows a joint raid carried out by the police and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) recently.

The operation, which first began with nearly two months of surveillance and intelligence gathering, resulted in the arrest of 13 individuals — including seven foreign nationals from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The suspects are believed to be part of a syndicate that has been illegally repackaging engine oil under the names of well-known automotive brands and selling it through online platforms.

According to Deputy Director of Bukit Aman’s Wildlife Crime Bureau and Special Intelligence Investigation Unit (WCB/PSK), SAC Mohammad Azlin Sadari, the group is suspected of rebottling generic or low-grade engine oil and attaching counterfeit labels of popular local and international vehicle manufacturers.

The packaging also allegedly included fake addresses to mislead buyers.

Mohammad Azlin further added, “These products were then distributed through e-commerce sites and promoted on social media with the group having been running this illegal business for between two to three years, and profited by millions of Ringgits.”

Among the items seized were containers of engine oil, empty bottles, fake labels and packaging materials featuring a variety of automotive brand names. Investigators are currently working to identify the original source of the engine oil used and total value of the seized goods.

The case is being investigated under Section 102(1)(c) of the Trademarks Act 2019 for trademark infringement, and Section 5 of the Trade Descriptions Act 2011, which covers the use of false trade descriptions.

Source: Bernama