Selling of dodgy fuel on the rise in Arakan State 

By Admin 05 Nov 2024

DMG Newsroom
5 November 2024, Mrauk-U

Arakan State has been running short of consumer goods including fuel due to the junta’s travel restrictions, creating hardships for residents.

With fuel in short supply and prices soaring, the sale of dodgy Octane Ron 92 has been on the rise at fuel retailers.

One fuel retailer said: “Some people make fake Ron 92 using Indian fuel. We fuel retailers know whether the fuel is pure or not. Some retailers sell the fake despite knowing that it is fake.”

Indian fuel is adulterated with paprika powder and dried in the sun to make it look like Octane Ron 92, said the retailer. The dodgy Octane is sold at market prices.

The dodgy fuel can cause damage to engines and result in additional expenditures for repair, said consumers.

“I bought fuel from a roadside vendor after my motorbike ran out of fuel. The engine sound changed after I drove halfway. The engine stalled when I applied the brake. I took it to a workshop and the mechanic said the engine pumps had problems due to impure fuel,” said a resident of Mrauk-U Town.

Meanwhile, spare parts are hard to find and their prices are high. Consumers have called on authorities to take action against producing and selling adulterated fuel.

“You have to spend at least 50,000 kyats if you are to replace a part. This is not a small amount these days. There is a need to stop the sale of dodgy fuel,” said a social activist from Arakan State.

Dodgy fuel sales have been on the rise in Kyauktaw, Minbya and Pauktaw townships.