Ms. Thitipat Chotidetachaichanan, head of the Sud Soi team, revealed that Energy Minister Ekanat Prompan assigned the Sud Soi team to integrate efforts with the Department of Energy Business, provincial energy offices nationwide, and the Central Investigation Bureau, or CIB, to inspect and crack down on oil hoarding and smuggling rings after detecting irregular oil trading data recently. A random review of data from January to March 2026 uncovered irregularities involving a major oil middleman, or Jobber, in the central region, particularly in Kanchanaburi province. The operator evaded reporting requirements under Section 10 of the Fuel Oil Trading Act of 2000 by setting up a brokerage company and using a nail salon as a front to conceal business operations. The Sud Soi team, together with the Department of Energy Business and provincial energy offices, expanded the investigation by examining oil transport routes from 170 transport invoices covering 23 provinces. They conducted on-site inspections at destination service stations, summoned operators for clarification, and checked GPS vehicle tracking data. The investigation found that many destination service stations confirmed they did not receive the oil as stated in the documents, or received incomplete quantities. In some cases in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, the destinations listed in the documents turned out to be vacant land. Officials identified 34 irregular transport invoices, resulting in over 800,000 liters of oil disappearing from the system, with damages exceeding 28 million baht. After gathering evidence, the Energy Ministry consulted with the CIB, the Consumer Protection Police Division, the Department of Internal Trade, the Revenue Department, and the Customs Department before deciding to file criminal charges. Police Colonel Thanathat Sriphiphat was assigned to handle the case. Initially, the operator may face charges under the Fuel Oil Trading Act of 2000 and the Criminal Code. The Energy Ministry has also coordinated with the Revenue Department and the Customs Department to investigate additional related offenses and expand the probe to other oil traders who may exhibit similar behavior.