MELAKA: Police have seized agarwood and related equipment worth over RM106 million in a large-scale operation conducted last month at two locations in Melaka. The raids, part of ‘Op Bersepadu Khazanah - OBK,’ were carried out on July 31 following intelligence gathered by Bukit Aman’s Special Investigation Intelligence team.
Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said simultaneous inspections were conducted at a factory in Bukit Rambai Industrial Estate and a residential home in Ayer Keroh Heights. Both premises were found involved in illegal activities, including possession, storage, processing, and trading of agarwood.
The seized wood is believed to be Aquilaria malaccensis, a protected species under the National Forestry Act 1984. Items confiscated included 12,178 kg of karas wood, 5,783 kg of karas powder, and 10 boxes of karas weighing around 100 kg. Authorities also recovered 2,585.2 kg of karas resin, 43.84 cubic metres of various wood species, and 167 imported wood stumps.
Three individuals were arrested—two undocumented Myanmar nationals at the factory and a 55-year-old local woman, the homeowner. Investigations revealed that neither premises had registered with or obtained licences from the Peninsular Malaysia or Melaka Forestry Departments.
Dzulkhairi stated that the illegal operations had been active for over a year, supplying agarwood for local and export markets. Police are probing links to three reports of agarwood theft from Melaka forests this year.
The operation involved nine agencies, including the Forestry Department, IRB, KPDN, MTIB, MACC, MBMB, and MPHTJ. Offences detected include violations of the Immigration Act, National Forestry Act, and Wood-Based Industries Enactment, alongside unlicensed business operations. - Bernama
