IPOH: Five foreign workers, including a woman, were arrested and some RM111mil worth of e-waste seized in a raid at an illegal e-waste processing plant here.
General Operations Force Northern Brigade commander Senior Asst Comm Shahrum Hashim said the plant was shut down following the raid, under Op Hazard 2.0, in the Pengkalan industrial area on Monday.
“From our month-long investigation, we believe the factory has been illegally running the e-waste processing operation for about a year.
“A licence is required to process e-waste under the Environment Quality Act, while the operator also needs a permit to use land or building to keep e-waste.
“We did not find the relevant licence and permit,” he told a press conference at the premises yesterday.
SAC Shahrum said the e-waste seized included metal and plastics, which were found in about 1,500 bags kept at the premises.
Massive haul: A representative from the Perak Environment Department inspecting the e-waste found at a factory in Lahat, Ipoh. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star
“Each bag weighed between 850kg and 1,000kg.
“We also found equipment and machines used to process the e-waste,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 34A and 34B of the Environmental Quality Act.
“We are also working with the state Environment Department to determine how much e-waste has been processed,” SAC Shahrum said.
He also said the detained foreign workers, aged between 25 and 45, were from Myanmar and believed to have been hired illegally.
“Employing foreigners without proper documents is an offence.
“This is being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act,” he said, adding that the workers also stayed at the factory.
“We are trying to identify the owner of the premises,” he added.
