Toledo City: Man nabbed for illegal butane refilling

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 29-year-old man remains under police custody after he was allegedly caught illegally refilling butane canisters from commercial LPG tanks during an intelligence-driven operation in Toledo City, Cebu.

Police said the suspect was arrested at around 8:45 a.m. on Friday, July 10, in Purok 5, Barangay Carmen, and is now awaiting the filing of charges before the Office of the City Prosecutor.

In an interview on Saturday, July 11, Police Lieutenant Colonel Verniño Noserale, chief of the Toledo City Police Station, he said they conducted surveillance on the suspect for about two weeks before carrying out the operation.

READ: DOE notes rise of illegal butane refilling stations

Noserale said authorities monitored the alleged activity because of the fire hazards associated with unauthorized LPG refilling operations.

Illegal refilling

The operation, led by intelligence operatives of the Toledo City Police Station, caught the suspect allegedly transferring liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from a 50-kilogram LPG cylinder into butane canisters without authority from the Department of Energy.

Police said the suspect was arrested in the act of refilling butane canisters using improvised equipment.

Confiscated during the operation were seven 50-kilogram Phoenix Super LPG cylinders, 21 boxes containing 556 empty SUYLI butane canisters, three sacks containing 294 empty butane canisters of assorted brands, eight improvised stove valves with hose filters allegedly used for refilling, and one small green weighing scale.

Authorities estimated the value of the confiscated LPG products at around P60,400.

Arrest, charges

Following the operation, the suspect was taken to Toledo City Police Station.

As of Saturday, the suspect remains detained pending the filing of charges for alleged violation of the LPG Industry Regulation Act for the illegal refilling, reproduction, or manufacturing of liquefied petroleum gas products without authorization from the Department of Energy.

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