Shop in Melaka found hiding controlled goods

PETALING JAYA: The Melaka Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry exposed a sundry shop in the state that hid controlled goods in a premise run by a foreigner.

A video of the operation that was posted on the ministry's Melaka Facebook page has gone viral, with social media users lauding the move made by the enforcement shedding a light on the crime.

In the four-and-half-minute video, an enforcement officer was seen entering the shop and pretending to be a customer.

Subsequently, other ministry enforcement officers entered the shop and interrogated a foreign man who was believed to be running the shop.

“I came earlier asking for sugar, and you said it was unavailable,” an enforcer said when finding out the sugar stocks were kept in a storage room away from the shop.

The foreign man said the controlled goods had been reserved for a restaurant, to which the enforcers said the act was impermissible.

The raid also found several other controlled goods, which include subsidised cooking oil being hidden in other parts of the shop.

Malay daily Harian Metro reported that the shop in Ayer Keroh Heights was raided following a tip from the public.

The daily, quoting Melaka Domestic Trade Ministry director Norena Jaafar, said that the operation was made after a public tip that claimed the shop was selling controlled goods without a proper licence.

“Our officers have asked whether the premises sell subsidised cooking oil and sugar; however, the answers were doubtful.

“The operation team who did a thorough inspection at the premises, including the worker's quarter, has found the controlled goods hidden under beds, the cashier desk and behind the goods shelf,” she said, as quoted by the Malay daily.

Norena also said that the owner of the premises will be probed under the Controlled Goods Act 1961.

The video has currently garnered 3.5 million views on Facebook and over 20,000 comments.