KUALA LUMPUR: Four individuals, including a woman have been detained in connection with the seizure of 50 tonnes of bullets and casings at an e-waste factory in Telok Panglima Garang last Saturday (Feb 15).
Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order (KDNKA) department director Comm Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim said the 24-year-old woman was working as a secretary and supervisor at the factory.
"We also detained two Cambodian men and a man from China aged between 24 and 48, who were factory workers," he told a joint press conference with the Department of Environment (DOE) on Thursday (Feb 20).
Comm Azmi said the recycling factory was registered under a local individual but managed by a China national.
"E-waste processed illegally contain precious materials such as gold, copper and platinum, which have high recycling value.
"It will be processed into metal bars before being exported overseas," he said.
Comm Azmi said investigations are still being conducted to identify the source and purpose of ammunition waste at the factory.
"We discovered that it was sent to the factory along with e-waste from other factories through a port.
"The ammunition waste has been at the factory since a month ago.
"The female suspect was remanded before being released on police bail while three other foreign men have been remanded for four days," he said.
All items seized from the factory were brought to the Kuala Langat district police headquarters for further action.
It was reported that a raid at an illegal e-waste recycling factory led to the discovery of countless bullet casings and live ones due for re-smelting.
Bukit Aman KDNKA department deputy director Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamad Suzrin Mohamad Rodhi, when met at the scene along Telok Panglima Garang, had said that the discovery was made during the raid.
“The factory has been operating for two years and has been recycling e-waste illegally. What was most interesting is that we also found bullet casings, fired bullets and live ones as well.
Roughly 50 tons were found, with DCP Mohamad Suzrin adding that investigations are underway to determine its source.
"We believe it was from outside Malaysia," he said.
A "kitchen" was also found within the factory, where the casings and bullets were in various states of smelting. Some were already formed into metal bars which were due to be exported.
The raid, a part of Op Hazard, was conducted by the Central Brigade General Operations Force (GOF), alongside the municipal council and Department of Environment.
Around 70 to 80 workers were held for inspection during the raid.
