Some of the frozen food seized during a simultaneous raid in seven Sabah districts..
KOTA KINABALU: RM4.57mil worth of frozen food without valid documents have been seized, and sixteen individuals were arrested during simultaneous operations in seven Sabah districts by the police General Operations Force (GOF).
The GOF joint raid with enforcement from the Sabah Veterinary Services Department and the Health Ministry seized various types of frozen chicken, duck, beef, fish, squid and other products in the joint operation on Saturday (Mar 8).
Sabah GOF Brigade commander Datuk Abdul Rani Alias said they carried out nine simultaneous raids in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Keningau, Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu, and Semporna.
The raids codenamed Taring Chiller came after weeks of intelligence gathering by the Sabah GOF Brigade Intelligence Unit.
“We arrested 16 individuals -11 men and four women," he said in a statement issued here Sunday (March 9).
He said, apart from an Indonesian man, the remaining arrested were all locals.
Based on initial investigations, he said multiple offences were committed under the state’s Section 15(1) of the Animal Enactment 2015, the Food Act 1983, Regulation 38(1)(G) of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009 and Regulation 38(1) of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.
"The operators were found not to have complied with the various requirements relating to food storage,” he said.
He said the operation was to ensure that local consumers obtained a safe and proper supply of frozen food.
“In addition, frozen food products that had not received halal status from the Islamic Development Department," he added.
More photos
Some of the frozen food seized by GOF during a joint operation with the state Veterinary Department and Health Ministry.
Some of the frozen food seized by GOF during a joint operation with the state Veterinary Department and Health Ministry.
Frozen food seized from various premises in Sabah.
