KUCHING: The Sarawak Brigade of the General Operations Force has crippled multiple smuggling operations involving subsidised and controlled items across the state.
A series of operations from September 17 to 28 resulted in the seizure of goods valued at RM8.13 million.
Sarawak Brigade Commander SAC Lim Bak Phai confirmed the arrests of 34 individuals, including four foreigners, during the nearly two-week crackdown.
Operations codenamed Op Taring Alpha, Op Taring Bravo, and Op Taring Awas/Batas targeted 12 different locations statewide.
Seized items included 14.8 tonnes of frozen products, 12,574 cartons of cigarettes, and 19,318 litres of various liquors.
Authorities also confiscated 13,000 litres of subsidised diesel, four cylinders of subsidised gas, and four tonnes of sugar.
Additional seizures comprised 750 kilogrammes of cooking oil, 23 boxes of fireworks, and several vehicles used for smuggling activities.
On September 17 in Tebedu, officers detained a foreigner with 8,000 kilogrammes of meat and 800 packets of frozen sausages worth RM73,280.
The same day in Lubok Antu saw another foreigner arrested with four cylinders of subsidised gas and a motorcycle valued at RM5,720.
September 18 operations in Julau led to the detention of four Malaysians and the seizure of 417 cigarette cartons and 2,158 litres of liquor.
A Padawan operation on the same day resulted in one arrest with 2,750 cigarette cartons and a van worth RM1.01 million.
September 19 saw a Lundu operation where a man was detained with 2,400 kilogrammes of frozen meat and a vehicle valued at RM182,800.
Bau operations on September 22 netted one arrest with 5,000 kilogrammes of frozen meat and a vehicle worth RM260,800.
Padawan authorities on the same day held another man with 5,200 litres of liquor valued at RM200,046.30.
Kuching operations on September 22 detained a man and seized 904.8 litres of liquor worth RM31,668.
Tebedu saw two arrests on September 23 when suspects attempted to smuggle 287 kilogrammes of frozen meat using two vehicles.
September 24 operations in Kuching and Kota Samarahan arrested four Malaysian men and one foreigner with 1,420 cigarette cartons and 5,754 litres of liquor.
Simunjan operations the same day detained three men and seized 13,000 litres of diesel with storage tanks and a tanker lorry worth RM406,400.
Serian operations on September 25 arrested one man with 3.9 tonnes of sugar and 750 kilogrammes of subsidised cooking oil valued at RM164,100.
The same day brought the largest seizure in Bau, Sri Aman, and Sibu with seven suspects detained and goods worth RM3.76 million confiscated.
September 26 and 27 operations in Sibu and Limbang arrested five suspects and seized various contraband worth RM687,285.90.
Sri Aman operations on September 27 concluded the series with one arrest and the seizure of 164 cigarette cartons and 792 litres of liquor worth RM101,080. – Bernama
