IPOH: The Northern Brigade of the General Operations Force has seized various types of minerals valued at an estimated RM31.7mil from four premises suspected of conducting illegal mining and processing.
Its acting commander ACP Jafri Muhamad said 30 individuals, including 16 Myanmar and Indonesian nationals aged from 20 to 60, who were workers at the processing premises and mining sites raided in Perak and Kedah, were arrested during Ops Gali Mega on Thursday (Aug 20).
He said further inspection revealed that the premises and mining sites were processing and mining silica sand, kaolin and iron ore without permission from the Minerals and Geoscience Department as well as the Perak and Kedah Land and Mines Offices.
"The team also found a large quantity of machinery, equipment, silica sand, kaolin and iron ore stored in bags.
"Among those seized were 3,714 tonnes of processed silica sand, 60kg of processed iron ore, 60 tonnes of semi-processed kaolin powder and various types of machinery and equipment used to extract and process kaolin and silica sand," he said during a press conference at the Northern Brigade Headquarters here on Friday (Aug 21).
Jafri said all case items related to the processing of silica sand and iron ore had been handed over for further investigation under the Mineral Development (Licensing) Regulations 2016.
He added that the Lands and Mines Office would also taking action under Section 425 and Section 426 of the National Land Code 1965, for offences related to trespassing and transporting rock material without permission.
Meanwhile, he said the Perak Criminal Investigation Department was investigating the foreign nationals involved under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for staying without valid documents and employing workers without permits.
"The Kubang Pasu Municipal Council has issued two notices under Section 19(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 and Section 72(1) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974," he said. – Bernama
