Over RM3mil worth of smuggled items seized by GOF at Malaysia-Thai border in past two weeks

PASIR MAS (Bernama): The 7th Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF7) seized various items worth RM3.04mil in 73 cases at the Malaysia-Thailand border under the Covid-19 ‘Op Benteng’ conducted from Sept 16 until Wednesday (Sept 29).

Its commanding officer, Supt Azhari Nusi said during that period, 56 individuals were arrested and 58 vehicles confiscated.

"The seizure cases involved several Acts under the Health Ministry, Customs Act and Paddy and Rice Regulation Act,” he said at a press conference held at the GOF Lhubok Stol Tactical Headquarters in Rantau Panjang, here, on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, he said the enforcement team was currently carrying out special operations with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) to address the issue of Thai rice smuggling.

"The latest case involved rice seizure at 4.30pm yesterday in a raid on an unnumbered house at Kampung Limau Purut, Rantau Panjang.

"During the raid, there was no one at the house but the inspection at an unlocked adjacent store found various types of Thai rice hidden there, with an estimated weight of 2,427 kilogrammes and worth RM11,000,” he added.

All the rice including glutinous rice and nasi dagang were suspected to have been smuggled from a neighbouring country through nearby bases and kept at the store before being sent to specific locations after monitoring the movements of the enforcement authorities.

Supt Azhari said the GOF7 also seized a number of wild boar and fox carcasses after detaining a vehicle in Kampung Jenob, near Bukit Bunga, Tanah Merah Tuesday (Sept 28).

"We found all the meat weighing 277kg came from these animals in a forest in Machang and would be smuggled to neighbouring countries to be used as food,” he said, adding that a 57-year-old man was also arrested.

The suspect was handed over to the Kelantan Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) for further action.- Bernama