Risky Rip-Off Ruse Reported on Nepal’s Propane Market

Propane tanks out for delivery on a truck in Nepal. Though sadly, the local propane market has not been such a pretty picture. (image: giovannirodente via flickr.com)

Recent reports from the country of Nepal are pointing to a risky propane rip-off that has prompted mass confiscations of the cooking gas.

The scam involves switching out the foot and neck rings on propane cylinders, according to the country’s Republica newspaper. And this has been a double whammy for customers: The new rings add weight, decreasing the amount of gas required for a refill. And the rings hurt the pressure-bearing capacity of the tanks, increasing the potential for an accident.

Last week, officials confiscated more than 20,000 cylinders of the gas, worth more than $500,000, from 24 different bottling companies. In turn, the seizures have hampered business, reports Republica.

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