KOTA KINABALU: A year-long crackdown by the Sabah brigade of the General Operations Force (GOF) has led to the seizure of contraband worth RM354.6mil and the arrest of 990 individuals across the state.
Sabah GOF brigade commander Senior Asst Comm Nor Omar Sappi said the arrests, involving 559 locals and 431 foreigners, were made through 698 operations carried out from January to December this year.
He said the enforcement drive involved several integrated operations, including Op Taring Esszone/Daratan, Op Kontraban, Op Bersepadu Khazanah, Op Hazard (e-waste), as well as continuous roadblock inspections statewide.
Among the major seizures were land and sea vehicles worth RM65.79mil, machinery and heavy equipment valued at RM20.1mil, frozen food amounting to RM51.3mil, cigarettes and vape products worth RM49.09mil, and e-waste valued at RM48.88mil.
“Other confiscated items included liquor without permits, crude palm oil, diesel and petrol, firearms, firecrackers, subsidised goods and drugs, bringing the total value of seizures to RM354.6mil,” Nor Omar said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 31).
He added that the sustained operations had successfully disrupted several smuggling and illegal distribution syndicates operating along both the west and east coasts of Sabah, and urged the public to continue providing information to support enforcement efforts.
In a separate development, police in Semporna foiled an attempt to smuggle fuel out of the country after detaining two Filipino men during a patrol in the waters off Pulau Bum Bum on Dec 31.
Semporna OCPD Supt Tan Hiap Wah said officers from the Pulau Bum Bum police station intercepted a suspicious wooden boat and found a Yamaha 200HP two-stroke engine, along with 90 jerry cans containing 2,250 litres of petrol and two jerry cans of petrol mixed with two-stroke oil.
“The fuel is believed to have been intended for smuggling to the Philippines and is estimated to be worth RM5,760 based on current market prices,” he said.
All suspects and seized items were brought to the Semporna district police headquarters for further action under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, he added, stressing that police would not compromise in their efforts to curb smuggling and contraband crimes.
