Dubai authorities have seized more than 19,252 counterfeit gas cylinders and impounded 751 vehicles since June 2022, as part of ongoing efforts to crack down on the illegal storage, transportation and distribution of gas cylinders.

Over the same period, inspection campaigns identified more than 275 sites involved in storing and distributing counterfeit cylinders, with 751 reports filed against violators.

The figures were reviewed at a meeting of the Dubai Regulatory Committee for Petroleum Products on November 15, where officials discussed the results of joint inspections and plans to strengthen oversight of the sector.

The committee, which operates under the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, also reviewed enforcement efforts in the diesel sector. Inspections covered 73 tanks at various establishments and 42 establishments in Ras Al Khor Industrial Area. They resulted in the impounding of 14 diesel tankers found violating trading regulations and UAE requirements.

During the meeting, officials discussed plans to improve inspections, streamline permits and strengthen compliance among companies trading petroleum products.

Dubai is also working on a new digital platform for petroleum product permits, which is expected to be completed in 2027, with a system for recording violations and issuing notices scheduled to begin in the second quarter of that year.

"We aim to advance digitisation by developing a digital platform and integrating it with the Dubai 360 platform. This will help streamline permitting procedures and enhance service efficiency," said Ahmed Butti Al Muhairbi, Secretary-General of DSCE and Chairman of the Dubai Regulatory Committee for Petroleum Products.

He said cooperation between committee members and government entities had already helped standardise inspection procedures, reduce violations and bring in Executive Council Resolution No. 85 of 2025, which regulates petroleum products trading activities in Dubai.

The committee is also planning awareness workshops, media campaigns and social media initiatives to familiarise companies with the regulations governing petroleum products trading.

As part of efforts to strengthen oversight, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and relevant entities have established a permanent field inspection team and standardised procedures for conducting inspections and handling violations.

The inspection campaigns form part of wider efforts to standardise procedures and improve coordination between government entities. These measures follow the issuance of Executive Council Resolution No. 85 of 2025, which regulates petroleum products trading activities in Dubai.

The council said coordinated efforts between government entities remain important in curbing violations, improving compliance with safety requirements and protecting people, property and facilities.

As part of wider efforts to curb unsafe gas cylinder trading, Dubai Police have also warned residents against buying cylinders from unlicensed sellers.

In a warning issued on June 4, the force said it had seized 300 cylinders since the beginning of 2026, following the confiscation of 575 in 2025 and 1,361 in 2024. The cylinders were seized during field campaigns because they did not meet safety specifications.

The Anti-Economic Crimes Department at Dubai Police's General Department of Criminal Investigation stressed the importance of purchasing cylinders only from authorised entities and companies in the country to protect lives and property from the dangers of unsafe refilling practices that do not follow public safety procedures.

As part of its ongoing awareness campaign, "Your Safety and Your Family's Come First", the department explained that some illegal sellers refill cylinders using primitive methods that do not meet safety requirements.

Dubai has also stepped up inspections of household gas distribution operations. Between 2023 and the first half of 2025, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and other relevant authorities carried out 4,322 field inspections, recording 1,098 violations.

In September 2025, the RTA also announced that around 170 vehicles had been impounded and more than 1,000 violations recorded following inspections targeting household gas distribution operations.

"Household gas distribution is a critical activity with direct implications on the environment, public health, and safety. It requires strict oversight to ensure full compliance with licensing requirements and identify counterfeit or untraceable gas cylinders, thereby avoiding serious potential risks," said Saeed Al Ramsi, Director of Licensing Activities Monitoring at RTA's Licensing Agency.

(Source: Khaleej Times)