Bangkok: The Ministry of Justice held a press conference today, led by Police Lieutenant General Ruttapol Naowarat, to announce the findings of an operation targeting fuel hoarding. The investigation uncovered four unusual cases across three distinct patterns, prompting a proposal to treat these as special cases in light of the public hardship caused by the offenses during an ongoing crisis. According to Thai News Agency, the press conference saw involvement from high-ranking officials, including Police General Samran Nuanma, Deputy National Police Chief; Police Lieutenant Colonel Yutthana Praedam, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation; and representatives from the Department of Energy Business and the Ministry of Commerce. The operation targeted four critical locations: an oil pipeline and depot in Pathum Thani, a refinery in Samut Sakhon, and oil depots in Rayong and Udon Thani, extending to Khon Kaen. Pol. Lt. Gen. Ruttapol outlined that joint inspections were carried out by multipl e agencies, including the Royal Thai Police and the DSI, as part of efforts to combat fuel shortages. The inspections focused on detecting delays in oil transportation and deliveries, particularly whether oil was being stockpiled to capitalize on rising prices. The investigation continues, with all evidence being meticulously collected. The operation's objectives included investigating transportation delays, delivery delays from depots and refineries, and deviations from designated routes by transport systems. While definitive figures on missing oil or irregularities are not yet available, coordination among various sectors is ongoing to gather comprehensive data. The investigation also highlighted irregularities in maritime operations, with the Maritime Security Command Center detecting unusual vessel voyages. A war room has been established at the DSI to centralize data collection and verify these findings, particularly focusing on 99 suspicious oil tanker trips. Specific cases outlined during the press conference included an incident where fuel trucks from a depot failed to deliver to gas stations, and irregular trading practices at an unregistered oil depot in Rayong. The latter case revealed unauthorized oil trading and storage, violating multiple sections of the Fuel Oil Trading Act, with penalties including fines and imprisonment. Electricity usage at oil depots was another focus, with discrepancies noted in Pathum Thani, suggesting manipulation of supply in response to oil price fluctuations. The investigation is ongoing, with document examination underway to substantiate these findings. The Special Cases Committee is set to convene to determine if these actions, occurring during a public crisis, warrant classification as special cases. The potential for criminal conspiracy or related offenses remains under scrutiny, with further investigations contingent on new evidence.