IPOH: An illegal tin mining quarry was shut down with more than 34.5 tonnes of minerals and tin ore seized during an operation in Kampar.
Twenty-seven suspects, including foreigners, were arrested during Ops Bersepadu Khazanah on Wednesday.
General Operations Force Northern Brigade commander Senior Asst Comm Shahrum Hashim said the operation was held after a month-long investigation into the illegal mining activity.
“The quarry has been operating since July 2024. The items seized included 4.5 tonnes of tin ore, 60 jumbo bags containing 30 tonnes of coarse minerals, processing machines and machinery worth about RM28,732,000,” he said yesterday.
SAC Shahrum said those arrested comprised seven local men aged between 19 and 76, a 76-year-old local woman, 10 men from China aged 32 to 62, eight men from Bangladesh aged 28 to 44 and a 33-year-old Nepalese man.
“One of the Chinese nationals was the site manager. All the foreigners were found to have misused their visitors’ passes,” he said, adding that the operation also involved the state Lands and Mines Department, and Mineral and Geoscience Department.
SAC Shahrum said the case was being investigated under Section 426 of the National Land Code and the Perak Minerals Enactment.
Those found guilty can be fined up to RM50,000 or jailed up to five years, or both, he added.
He said foreigners who overstayed would be investigated under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act.
“They can be fined up to RM10,000 or jailed up to five years, or both,” he added.
In a separate case, SAC Shahrum said 99,000kg worth of e-waste were seized and three men arrested during an operation in Bukit Selambau, Kedah.
He said the items were found on three trailers that were heading to a warehouse during Ops Hazard on Wednesday between 1am and 6.15am.
“Together with the Kedah Department of Environment and Kuala Muda police, we have been tracking the illegal e-waste transporting activities for a week.
“During the operation, we checked the trailers and found 60 jumbo bags containing about 60,000kg of e-waste, 20 jumbo bags of scrap metal (20,000kg), 19 jumbo bags of plastic waste (19,000kg) and two metal crushing machines,” he said, adding that the e-waste and trailers seized were worth about RM5.3mil.
