KOTA BARU: Some 1,400 orchid plants worth RM280,000 that were infected with pest and smuggled in from Thailand has been seized in Kampung Lalang Pepuyu, Tumpat.
The 8th Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander, SAC Ahmad Radzi Hussain said a patrol under Ops Taring Wawasan stopped a pickup truck for inspection.
He said 1,400 orchid plants were found that were brought in from a neighbouring country without proper authorisation and could pose a threat to the local agricultural sector.
"The driver, a 20-year-old man, collected the plants from a nursery near Kampung Rahmat, Rantau Panjang. The plants were intended for sale in the East Coast, particularly Terengganu and Pahang, where there is a high demand for such exotic ornamental plants," he said in a statement on Friday (June 5).
He said all the seized plants were handed over to the Kelantan Agriculture Department for follow-up action, including inspections related to pest risks and compliance with plant quarantine requirements.
He added that the case is being investigated under Section 5 of the Plant Quarantine Act 1976. – Bernama
