Author: Fernanda Borges

Source: Diário do Grande ABC - SP - 21/10/2009

Data from the São Paulo State Finance Department reveal that the number of stations that sell adulterated fuels has been falling every year in Greater ABC. Since 2005, when the “De Olho na Bomba” operation started, 31 establishments had their registration canceled by the DRT (Regional Tax Office) of the region for presenting products outside the standards established by the ANP (National Petroleum Agency).

In 2005, according to the secretariat, 25,88% of the posts visited had their license revoked due to irregularities. In the following year, this total dropped to 14,05%. The downward trend continued over the years, reaching 8,17% in 2007, 5,01% in 2008 and 3,58% this year.

According to the deputy director of DEAT (Executive Directorate of Tax Administration), responsible for all the State's DRTs, Sidney Sanchez, the reduction of fraud is the result of the intensification of inspection and the rigor of the new legislation. “With Law 11.929, of April 12, 2005, the punishments became stricter. Now, when a license is revoked, the members of the posts are prevented from working in the business for five years and this more severe penalty ends up inhibiting adulterations ”, explains the director.

The new legislation foresees the cancellation of the state registration of stations caught with fuel out of specifications, in addition to fines generated by the Treasury Department, for tax evasion, and the Procon Foundation, for injury to the Consumer Protection Code. In some cases, a police inquiry may even be opened and the owners are subject to civil and criminal proceedings.

Sanchez points out that, despite the reduction in irregularities, adulterations continue to be carried out throughout the state. "Fraud is found in all regions, as well as in Greater ABC, however, with the inspection work, they are more controlled," he says. “Last week, for example, a gas station was closed in the Casa Grande neighborhood, in Diadema, after finding out the sale of fuel outside the norms. We can see that, even with the punishments, there are still entrepreneurs who take risks ”, he highlights.

With this Diadema ban, the region added seven closed posts this year. “Since 2005, 710 jobs have been canceled in São Paulo. The 31 closed stations in Grande ABC in this period represent about 5% of the total. Despite the fact that fraud is falling every year, the number of closed establishments in the region is very significant, and that is why inspections will continue, ”says Sanchez.

The “De Olho na Bomba” operation visits eight to ten stations per month in the region. According to Sanchez, inspectors carry out inspections based on a schedule established by the ABCD DRT, without a known routine. All fuel stations and distributors are subject to inspection. "Therefore, even if the owners try to circumvent the inspectors, sooner or later the fraud will be discovered," he says.

During inspection, if adulteration is suspected, inspectors collect three samples of the fuel sold. A preliminary test is carried out at the site and, if an irregularity is found, the pump is immediately sealed and the post is prevented from selling until the analysis process is completed. If fraud is proven, the license of the post is revoked by the Treasury Department. “Today, the most common fraud is the addition, in addition to what is allowed, of alcohol to gasoline. In addition, we found water mixed with alcohol and even solvents ”, explains Sanchez.

That's what happened to account executive Camila Caetano, 26, who lives in São Caetano. She refueled the vehicle with alcohol at a gas station in the city and soon realized that the engine started to fail. “I stopped at another station and put gasoline on top, but even so the car remained strange”, he says. The next day, Camila took the car to a workshop and found that the adulterated fuel ended up burning a coil. “I spent R $ 500 to change the part. And the worst thing is that the mechanic told me that the car could even catch fire, because that alcohol was pure solvent ”, says the executive.

Camila denounced the establishment, which had previously been notified by the National Petroleum Agency. "I hope that some action is taken, as I ended up with the loss for fear of complaining at the post and suffering reprisals."