'Time bomb on wheels': Lawmaker sounds alarm over illicit fuels

Amid surging oil prices, lawmakers are raising alarm over increasing illicit fuel activity, describing illegal fuel stations as "time bombs" that endanger both drivers and the community. 

The warning came after lawmaker Jody Kwok Fu-yung visited the Fire Services Department with the Kwai Tsing District Fire Safety Committee to learn about enforcement efforts against illicit fueling. 

"It is understandable that drivers want to save their hard-earned money," Kwok said on a radio program on Tuesday morning, warning that illegal fuel always comes with a deadly catch. 

She explained that the illegal fuel stations have no fire safety equipment, stressing that drivers would be the first to take the hit if an explosion occurred. 

Describing the tanks holding illicit oil as "time bombs," she hoped the public would understand the danger they pose to the entire community. 

The Fire Services Department seized more than 417,000 liters of illicit diesel and 48,000 liters of petrol in the first five months of this year, which she believes indicates the illegal market remains active. 

The department had received 763 complaints in the same period, surpassing half of the 931 cases recorded for the whole of last year.

Kwok observed that illicit fueling operations are mainly found in areas with strong demand, such as container terminals and heavy-vehicle parking lots. For instance, Kwai Tsing district accounted for 30 percent with 221 complaints—a situation she described as "cannot be ignored." 

To further expand coverage and deter illegal operators, she proposed the use of drones for enforcement, particularly for nighttime patrols and surveillance with night-vision capabilities.

As the city pushes to amend the Fire Services Ordinance with tougher penalties on illicit fueling, Kwok also called for enhanced public education, especially for professional drivers and the industry, over the revised provisions.

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