SARAWAK GOF SEIZES SMUGGLED GOODS WORTH RM5.08 MLN

KUCHING, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- The General Operations Force (GOF) Sarawak Brigade seized frozen products, diesel, liquor and cigarettes worth RM5.08 million in Op Taring which was conducted from November 11 until yesterday.

Sarawak Brigade commander, SAC Lim Bak Phai said the first success was recorded on November 11 when GOF raided a lorry in Kampung Stass, Bau and arrested a 37-year-old local man.

He said the inspection found 8,200 kilogrammes of frozen meat without valid documents along with a lorry with a total seizure worth RM273,800.

“On November 12 in Kampung Raso, Lundu, a 28-year-old local man was arrested while trying to smuggle 2,400 kilogrammes of frozen meat without a permit, with the value of the seizure including a lorry totalling RM163,200.

“On the same day, simultaneous raids at four premises in different locations led to the arrest of five local men aged 29 to 44 and a foreign man, with the seizure of 16,700 litres of diesel, fuel pump equipment, a semi-tanker trailer, 190.08 litres of liquor, 516 cartons of cigarettes and two lorries worth RM1,011,608,” he said in a statement here, today.

Lim said raids at six premises around Kuching, Bau and Sematan also arrested three local men, two local women and a foreign woman, in addition to seizing 340 litres of diesel, 17 drums of oil, 2,986.32 litres of hard liquor, 364 cartons of cigarettes and a lorry worth RM325,742.20.

“On November 18 in Kuching, GOF raided four premises and arrested three local men and a local woman with the seizure of 807 cartons of cigarettes and 643.86 litres of liquor worth RM312,548.60.

“On November 20 in Engkilili, a 54-year-old local man was arrested for using subsidised diesel without a valid permit, along with the seizure of 700 litres of diesel, oil drums, an oil pump, a four-wheel drive and four excavators worth RM1,324,349,” he said.

On the same day, he said a GOF patrol in Tebedu found 16 black plastic packages containing 144 kilogrammes of sausages and 30 kilogrammes of frozen beef tripes believed to be smuggled out worth RM1,865.

Meanwhile, on November 21, he said two local men aged 27 and 40 were arrested at the same location for carrying 220 kilogrammes of frozen pork without valid documents, with a motor van worth RM89,400 also seized.

“On November 23 in Bintulu when the GOF arrested a 63-year-old local man and seized 1,278 cartons of cigarettes, 3,429 litres of liquor and a van worth RM1,510,834.80.

“In the latest success on November 24, raids at four premises around Kuching and Serian saw two local men and two local women nabbed and 188 cartons of cigarettes and 316.8 litres of liquor worth RM76,648 confiscated,” he said.

-- BERNAMA