KOTA KINABALU: General Operations Force (GOF) personnel have thwarted attempts to smuggle contraband items and frozen food to the tune of some RM20mil in three operations here and the neighbouring Penampang district.
The raids held from Nov 19 to 26 also also saw 29 men arrested.
Sabah GOF Brigade Commander Senior Asst Comm Datuk Abdul Rani Alias said the first raid was carried out at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) in Sepanggar near here.
He said his men seized 56,616 cans of various alcoholic drinks, a trailer and a lorry as well as 11 mobile phones, all worth over RM2mil including unpaid taxes.
“Twelve men comprising seven locals and five Indonesians were arrested in the raid,” he said, in a statement on Thursday (Nov 28).
In the second raid held at Jalan NC Mogunting in Penampang and Kampung Ganang in Kepayan here, he said, they seized over five million cigarette sticks which were worth more than RM9.6mil.
The team detained six local men and a man with permanent resident status in the process.
SAC Abdul said the third raid in Penampang saw 10 local men arrested and various frozen food items seized as they did not have the necessary import permit.
He said among the frozen food items confiscated were 1,944 boxes containing fresh chicken meat, 4,561 boxes of ikan kayu, 163 boxes of mutton, 208 boxes of beef bones and 15,000 boxes of chicken wings.
“These items were valued at more than RM8.3mil including in unpaid taxes.
“This makes the amount of items seized in the three raids in excess of RM20mil,” he said.
SAC Abdul said they believed the operation had managed to disrupt the activities of the syndicates involved in the state’s west coast region.
The case, he added, was being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, the Immigration Act 1959/63, Section 15(1) of the Animal Enactment 2015, the Food Act 1983, and Regulation 38(1)(c) of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.
“The police, particularly through the GOF, will continue to carry out their duties and responsibilities to safeguard national security and public order for the welfare and prosperity of the nation,” he said.
He also hoped that the public would act as the eyes and ears of the police in providing information related to smuggling activities in their areas.
SAC Abdul said the operation involved GOF officers and personnel from Bukit Aman, the battalions from Kinarut, Keningau, Tawau and Beluran districts.
