IPOH: Police have busted an illegal kaolin processing operation here, arresting six individuals and seizing mineral materials and machinery worth more than RM6.2mil.
The special operation, known as “Ops Bersepadu Khazanah”, was carried out on March 12 by the Northern Brigade General Operations Force (GOF) intelligence unit, in collaboration with the Minerals and Geoscience Department and the Ipoh district police headquarters.
GOF Northern Brigade commander Senior Asst Comm Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh said that during the raid, authorities detained one local man, four foreign men and one foreign woman believed to be involved in illegally processing kaolin without approval from the authorities.
“Police also discovered a large quantity of white soil, identified as kaolin, that was in the midst of being processed, along with various machines and equipment used in the operation at a factory in the Ipoh area,” he added.
“Initial investigations revealed that the illegal factory had been operating for about a year,” he said in a statement on Friday (March 13).
SAC Balveer Singh said the factory’s modus operandi involved purchasing mixed white soil obtained from kaolin quarry areas before processing it through filtering, washing and compacting.
He said the process separated the mineral soil into sand and pure kaolin, improving its quality before the higher-grade material was sold at higher prices in both local and international markets.
“Among those arrested were a local man in his 40s believed to be the company director, a Chinese national in his 30s, three Bangladeshi men aged between 25 and 41, and an Indonesian woman in her 20s,” he said.
“Police also seized various processing machines and heavy equipment, as well as an estimated 45,000 tonnes of white soil or kaolin found at the premises.
“The total estimated value of the seized items was RM6,265,000,” he said.
He added that the case is being investigated by the department under the Mineral Development (Licensing) Regulations 2016 and the Mineral Development Act 1994, which carry a fine of up to RM50,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both, upon conviction.
He added that the company director is also being investigated under Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for employing illegal immigrants.
“Two foreign workers are being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the same Act for failing to produce identification documents, while three others are being investigated under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating the conditions of their passes,” he said.
“GOF will continue surveillance and patrols across Perak, Penang, Kedah and Perlis to curb illegal activities,” he said.
He also urged the public to provide information to the police to assist in investigations.
