Potential gas leak explosions from substandard liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were impeded after recent raids in Sto. Tomas and San Juan in La Union captured 32 illegally refilled and distributed Solane LPG tanks.

The confiscated cylinders reportedly amounted to almost P70,000, Solane said in a press release.

In Sto. Tomas, at about 1 p.m. last Jan. 25, five tanks worth P11,150 were busted from suspect Almario Perito y Delinila in Barangay Patac, where four Solane cylinders were illegally refilled and one was emptied.

Seventeen tanks worth P39,950, of which 16 were illegally refilled and one was emptied, were confiscated from suspect Andrea Ramos y Amurao in Barangay Namboongan.

Along with the cylinders captured, each raid also seized marked money amounting to P1,000.

Later, 10 tanks, of which three were illegally refilled and seven were emptied, were seized from suspect Romualdo Flores y Co in Barangay Urbiztondo, San Juan. The tanks were worth P18,050.

Solane said only authorized and branded LPG dealers were guaranteed to supply genuine LPG products.