General Operations Force ops across Sarawak cripple criminal activities, total seizures around RM5.5m
KUCHING, June 30 — The General Operations Force (GOF) Sarawak Brigade has crippled four criminal activities through Op Taring Alpha, Op Taring Bravo, Op Taring Awas, and Op Libas, where the total seizures reached around RM5.5 million.
GOF Sarawak Brigade commander SAC Dr Che Ghazali Che Awang said the biggest haul was during Op Libas conducted in Sibu on June 24, where a team from Sibu GOF Battalion 10 raided a location suspected to be conducting illegal logging without valid permits.
'During the raid, the team apprehended three suspects aged 39 to 57, found 350 timbers of various sizes at the location, and seized a wood-cutting machine.
'The seizures amounted to RM3.5 million,' he said in a statement.
Che Ghazali said the seized items were handed over to the Sibu Division Forest Department for further action and investigation under Section 96 of the Sarawak Forestry Ordinance 2015.
In a second operation on June 23, GOF Kuching personnel raided a premises here believed to be used to store contraband liquor.
Che Ghazali said five men aged 26 to 36 were arrested and 32,736 litres of alcohol as well as a lorry worth a total of RM1.45 million were seized.
'The seized items were handed over to Kota Samarahan District police headquarters and the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(D) of the Customs Act 1967, Section 15(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, and Section 13 (1) of the Local Authorities Ordinance 1996,' he said.
The third operation conducted in Miri on June 25 saw a team from GOF Miri Battalion 12 raid a premises believed to be used to store diesel without valid permits.
Two men aged 32 and 45 were arrested, while 39,300 litres of diesel and a lorry were confiscated.
The seizures valued at RM486, 065 were handed over to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living for further action under Section 20(1) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
The fourth operation, conducted on June 28 in Lundu, saw the arrests of three men aged 23 to 26 for drug possession and abuse.
The raiding team confiscated a plastic packet weighing 0.32 grammes containing crystal granules believed to be methamphetamine, and a single-cab four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle, resulting in seizures valued at RM50,100.
The case had been handed over to Lundu District police headquarters and further investigation under Section 12 (2) and Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Che Ghazali added that from Jan 1 to June 30, GOF Sarawak operations resulted in seizures worth RM290.3 million in 236 cases, which led to 355 arrests and 193 vehicles being impounded. — The Borneo Post
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
PBS No 2 denies alleged links to Sabah mining scandal
Sabah rural development minister Jahid Jahim claimed certain parties were abusing news portals to fabricate false allegations of corruption, often before any official investigation had been held. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Parti Bersatu Sabah deputy president Jahid Jahim has denied allegations that he had accepted a RM150,000 bribe in the alleged mining scandal in the state. Jahid, who is the Sabah rural development minister, said the allegations published in a Malaysiakini report were unfounded and irresponsible, The Borneo Post reported. He maintained that he had never received funds for the approval or issuance of mining licences in the state and that his ministry was not responsible for processing such licences. 'As the assemblyman for Tamparuli, I wish to state unequivocally that no prospecting licence or any other licence related to mining has been approved or issued in my constituency,' said the four-term assemblyman. He claimed that certain parties were abusing news portals to fabricate false allegations of corruption, often before any official investigation had been held. 'This attempt by Malaysiakini to manufacture a false narrative is an outright violation of the law. It invites the public to pass judgment before the due process has run its course,' he said. He said he is seeking legal advice and reserves the right to pursue legal action against Malaysiakini and the two journalists involved in the report. The alleged scandal was reported last year after a series of videos linking several Sabah assemblymen to it were leaked. The videos allegedly depicted discussions involving bribery and misconduct related to mineral exploration projects in the state. Yesterday, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Jeffrey Kitingan denied a Malaysiakini report alleging he received RM1.78 million in connection with the alleged scandal. The deputy chief minister said he reserved the right to take legal action against the news portal over the 'irresponsible and damaging' report. This morning, Sabah assistant industrial development and entrepreneurship minister Andi Suryady Bandy, Sindumin assemblyman Yusof Yacob and businessman Albert Tei were charged with receiving and giving RM350,000 in bribes related to mineral prospecting licence applications in the state. Andi, of Umno, and Yusof, of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, were charged with receiving RM200,000 and RM150,000 in bribes, respectively, while Tei was charged with giving the bribes.
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Cops find no foul play, negligence in Putra Heights blaze
The blaze on April 1 saw flames soaring over 30m high with temperatures reaching up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. SHAH ALAM : Police have found no criminal elements following their investigations into the Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion and blaze on April 1. 'Based on our investigations, we found no elements of foul play, sabotage or negligence,' Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said at a press conference at the state government's office here today. Hussein said a special task force will be formed to decide who would be held responsible for the blaze as well as the next course of action. The occupational safety and health department (DOSH), which led the technical investigation into the incident, said certain segments of the pipeline gave way because of cyclic loading and insufficient support from the ground underneath. DOSH petroleum safety division director Husdin Che Amat said this was mainly caused by unstable ground conditions, leading to the physical failures at parts of the pipe, which then led to a gas leak and the blaze. 'The weak ground led to cyclic loading, which left stress lines and fatigue striations on the surface of the pipe. A metallography analysis showed that tensile overload was the main cause of the pipe's failure. 'This damage slowly spread, causing ductile failure which led to the leakage of gas, triggering the fire. 'In summary, the pipe failed because the condition of the ground underneath was not strong enough to support the weight and pressure of the pipe,' he said. The blaze on April 1 saw flames soaring over 30m high with temperatures reaching up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. There were no fatalities, but 150 victims had to seek treatment at hospitals. It took firefighters nearly eight hours to extinguish the blaze, which left a 10m-deep crater, measuring 21m by 24m. The fire destroyed 81 houses, with structural damage exceeding 40%. Another 81 houses were partially damaged, and 57 were affected but not burned.
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Hundreds of fake guns seized in raid on house in Segambut
Bukit Aman's Zairulnizam Zainuddin holding up imitation guns seized in a raid on a house in Segambut today. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Police arrested three foreigners and seized hundreds of fake firearms in a raid on a terrace house in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur, this afternoon. Bukit Aman internal security and public order department (wildlife crime bureau/special investigation intelligence) deputy director Zairulnizam Zainuddin said they included Walther P99 pistols, M4 Carbines and Colt AR-15s, Bernama reported. Police also seized fake Heckler and Koch MP5 rifles, CZ, Glock 17, Sand Viper and Browning pistols. Ball-bearing crossbows and spear guns were also seized. The fake firearms were stored at the house for repackaging before being sold openly on social media platforms. Zairulnizam said they were looking into the market prices and the actual quantity of fake firearms seized today. The three suspects detained, aged 35 to 45, included a woman. Several other locations in Selangor and Johor were also raided. Zairulnizam advised social media administrators to monitor sales activities on their platforms. He said police would urge the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to take stern action if sales of such banned items are found on social media.
