Photo courtesy of Southeast Brigade GOF via Facebook
KOTA BARU: An attempt to smuggle ornamental plants, including orchids and bidara saplings estimated to be worth RM4.5mil, was thwarted by the General Operations Force (GOF) of the Southeast Brigade in Kampung Limau Purut, Jalan Panglima Bayu-Rantau Panjang, on Wednesday (Dec 11).
Southeast Brigade GOF commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid revealed that a local man was apprehended, and the plants and saplings were seized at around 7pm.
The arrest was made after a suspicious vehicle was stopped under Ops Taring Wawasan Kelantan.
Upon inspection, over 15,000 saplings, believed to have originated from Thailand, were found stashed in the vehicle without valid documentation, including a missing phytosanitary shipment certificate from the country of origin.
"The 53-year-old driver appears to have been employed to smuggle the saplings into the country for distribution in the local market. This case is currently being investigated under the Plant Quarantine Act 1976 (Act 167) Section 5," Nik Ros Azhan said in a statement on Friday (Dec 13).
He further stated that both the suspect and the seized plants were taken to Komtak Taman Bakti for additional processing. – Bernama
