Ukraine is continuing to fight the sale of counterfeit fuel, which not only harms cars, but also poses a serious threat to the economy and the safety of citizens. Law enforcement officers in Chernivtsi region have stopped the activities of a criminal group that sold counterfeit fuel at 11 gas stations (GAS), mixing gas condensate and additives into A-95 gasoline to increase the volume of fuel without changing its cost. This criminal business spread not only to Chernivtsi region, but also to Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytskyi regions.
This counterfeit product that entered the market was manufactured in several regions. In particular, in the Kyiv region, law enforcement officers closed an illegal gas station that sold gasoline and diesel without proper documents and quality certificates, and in Transcarpathia, in Mukachevo, counterfeit fuel was produced. Lviv region attracts particular attention, where in early autumn the largest number of illegal gas stations was recorded — 98. This is 23% of all such points of sale of counterfeit fuel in the country.
Such illegal gas stations not only violate the law, but also undermine the country's economy. The sale of counterfeit fuel harms the competitiveness of legal market participants, reduces tax revenues, and also poses a serious threat to citizens and surrounding infrastructure.
What happens to a car if it is filled with counterfeit fuel? The consequences can be extremely negative. Low-quality fuel can lead to the destruction of the filter and fuel pump, which requires significant repair costs. One method of falsification is to reduce the octane number, which leads to uneven combustion of the fuel in the engine. Another method is to artificially increase the octane number by adding alcohols and esters, which can cause additional fuel consumption and even the formation of air bubbles in the fuel supply system, especially in hot weather.
Aromatic hydrocarbons, which are also added to fuel, can significantly increase the amount of carbon deposits and also cause damage to the filter in the tank, fuel system pipes and seals.
