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Petrol stations busted for cheating on fuel
Three of HCM City’s 15 petrol retailers have been caught selling substandard petrol to boost profits, inspectors from the municipal Department of Science and Technology said.
The latest inspection, conducted by the Department of Science and Technology’s Quality, Measures and Standards Technology Centre and the Market Watch Department, showed that around 30,900 litres of A92 petrol were substandard and contained an octane index lower than required, said Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, from HCM City’s Centre for Standardisation, Metrology and Quality Control.
The three petrol retailers are Thanh Tan Petrol Station in Binh Hung Hoa commune in Binh Tan district; a station at 61 Tran Hung Dao street, Nguyen Thai Binh commune in District 1; and Dong Thanh Station in Dong Thanh commune in Hoc Mon district.
Nga said A92 samples contained an octane index ranging from 78.3 to 90.6 instead of 91.7 to 92 as usual.
"It’s likely that retailers were selling A83 petrol, which was banned in 2007, mixed with some chemicals to get extra profit," Nga said.
According to a petroleum expert, the chances of low-quality petrol being imported were slim as quality is checked six hours before the petrol is transported to the city’s stations.
Inspectors from the department have confiscated the sub-standard petrol and fined each station VND5-8 million (US$277-444). The retailers were allowed to stay open.
The law stipulates that petrol retailers must purchase petrol from one general agent but in reality retailers acquire petrol from many sources.
"They purchase their petrol from the cheapest supplier, regardless of quality," said a director of a petrol company.
Dang Quang Huan, Deputy Chief Inspector at the Ministry of Science and Technology, said selling low-quality petrol was more serious than cheating customers on the amount because it risked damaging the vehicle’s engine.
"Most of offenders are small-scale petrol companies or individuals, who only think of profit and ignore the law," Huan said.
He added that the current fine levels were too low to deter offenders.
Decree 54/2009/ND-CP – which regulates standards, metrology and quality – will come into effect in August. It stipulates far stiffer punishments for selling substandard petrol.
"Trading substandard petrol, for example, will result in a fine three – to five-times the value of the petrol sold," Huan said.
"Those who are guilty of serious violations may have their business licences revoked," Huan said.
Ngan, an inspector at the city’s Department of Science and Technology, said that 30,900 litres of substandard petrol will be recycled for consumption instead of destroyed.
"The recycling process will be conducted under the inspection of the Department of Science and Technology and the Market Watch Department to insure that quality standards are met," Ngan said, adding that the department would most likely mix A95 petrol with the substandard petrol to raise its octane level.
vietnamnet, vietnamnews
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