Multiple parties involved in the fuel sector have denied claims that "most gas stations in Lebanon are selling adulterated gasoline." Other parties have accused some gas station owners in specific areas of tampering with fuel quality. However, this matter can only be addressed with the reactivation of the regulatory role of the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Energy.
In this regard, sources from the Ministry of Economy confirmed to "Lebanon Debate" that the issue of gasoline tampering peaked during the period of "jerrycan" trading, during which the ministry made hundreds of arrests. However, recently, the ministry has not conducted any raids due to the general strike occurring in state institutions.
The sources indicated that "the latest results showed that samples taken from various sources confirmed the quality of gasoline, which negates the possibility of adulteration." They ruled out the possibility of tampering at the moment as prices have been deregulated, reducing the strong incentive for such violations.
The sources emphasized that "the ministry is open to receiving any complaints in this regard and will conduct raids upon receiving information about anyone mixing gasoline, urging anyone with information or doubts regarding the quality of the substance to contact the ministry."
It was noted that "the Ministry of Energy takes samples of imported gasoline before it is delivered to the gas stations, while the Ministry of Economy's role is to oversee after delivery, so it is also necessary to review the results of the samples taken by the Ministry of Energy to confirm the source of any 'adulteration,' as it cannot be concluded that tampering occurs post-delivery."
