Pertamina seizes 1,000 illegal gas canisters in S. Sulawesi

State-run oil and gas company PT Pertamina in South Sulawesi has seized 1,000 illegal gas canisters weighing between three and 12 kilograms over the past year.

Manager for domestic gas for Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Maluku and Papua Zulfikar Hamid said Thursday the seized illegal canisters had been temporarily impounded at several gas stations in the province.

“We don’t know whether these illegal gas canisters meet our standards or not. Therefore, for the security of our customers we have confiscated them,” said Zulfikar, adding that the illegal canisters had false registration numbers when compared to the originals.

There has been a spate of gas canister explosions, mainly in domestic usage, across the country recently.