KOTA BHARU: The leader of a syndicate smuggling subsidised cooking oil to Thailand will face six charges on Wednesday.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry Kelantan director Azman Ismail confirmed the 28-year-old mastermind, known as Datuk John, had his remand extended by three days starting today.
Azman told reporters at Istana Balai Besar that “Datuk John is expected to be slapped with six charges on Wednesday”.
The other seven people arrested were released today on police bail upon expiry of their remand order.
Two enforcement officers arrested for alleged ‘counter setting’ for the syndicate were among the seven released.
The syndicate misappropriated and smuggled 11,050 kilogrammes of subsidised cooking oil through illegal bases along Sungai Golok and the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex in Rantau Panjang.
Azman said “they transported large quantities via Sungai Golok, while smaller amounts were smuggled in luxury vehicles driven by the enforcement officers involved to ease passage”.
Investigations revealed Datuk John is believed to have sourced the cooking oil from Negeri Sembilan and Selangor.
Azman added that “they had permits as suppliers in Negeri Sembilan under another person’s name, and the cooking oil was smuggled into Thailand for double the profit”.
The eight individuals were arrested in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas, on September 25 in a joint operation involving Kelantan KPDN and Region Three marine police. – Bernama
