Nearly 40 nabbed as illegal timber racket cut short in Kelantan
South-East Brigade Commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the simultaneous raids were conducted at 1.30pm on Monday across four districts – Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Tanah Merah and Jeli – under Ops Khazanah.
'Eight officers and 65 personnel from the South-East Brigade Intelligence Branch, 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions, as well as the Strike Force and the Kelantan Forestry Department, were involved in the operation.
'A total of 39 individuals, including undocumented Myanmar workers, were detained, while 5,537 various types of forest timber, 25 units of heavy machinery, 93 wood-cutting tools and several processing machines were confiscated,' he said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.
Nik Ros Azhan said the forest timber accounted for the largest portion of the seizures, valued at around RM14.98mil, followed by wood-processing equipment worth RM11.75mil.
He said the offences uncovered included operating without valid licences under the National Forestry Act 1984, the Wood-Based Industries Enactment 1985 and violations under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
'All individuals detained and the seized goods have been handed over to the Kelantan Forestry Department and police for further action.
'Checks by the local authorities also revealed that several factories had valid rental documents, while those without licences will be subjected to legal proceedings,' Nik Ros Azhan said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Pistol, live bullets seized in Tumpat
TUMPAT: The General Operations Force (GOF) arrested two Thai nationals and seized a revolver along with 35 bullets during an operation here yesterday. GOF Southeast Brigade Commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the operation was conducted at about 7.45am at a house in Kampung Pauh Seratus near Pengkalan Kubor. "Based on intelligence received from the public, a GOF team from the Seventh Battalion, with the assistance of the Tumpat Criminal Investigation Division, raided the house. "During the raid, they found a 30-year-old Thai man and a 40-year-old Thai woman in one of the rooms. "Further checks uncovered a .38 calibre revolver loaded with six live bullets, 29 additional bullets, a spent casing, and three mobile phones," he said. Ros Azhan said urine tests for both suspects returned negative results for drug use. "Initial investigations revealed the firearm was purchased in Thailand for 37,000 baht (approximately RM4,800) for personal use," he said. He said the two are being investigated under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 and Section 8(a) of the Arms Act 1960. "They are also being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering the country without valid travel documents," he said. He added that the battalion would continue operations to combat cross-border firearms smuggling along the Kelantan–Thai border. "We are committed to ensuring national security remains intact," he said.
The Star
13 hours ago
- The Star
New front opens as clashes between Thailand and Cambodia continue
People rest inside a temporary shelter in Srisaket province, after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery fire for a second day on Friday as border fighting intensified and spread. - Reuters BANGKOK: Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia entered its third day on Saturday (July 26), with a new front opening further south in Thailand's Trat province, newspaper Khaosod reported, citing military sources. Both sides again accused each other of initiating fire, as tensions between the South-East Asian neighbours continued to escalate. The Thai Navy is now also involved in the conflict. ALSO READ: Thai Navy joins conflict against Cambodia as death toll climbs to 30 Long-standing tensions between the two countries flared on Thursday, when exchanges of fire broke out along the border. In response, the Thai military said it had deployed fighter jets against Cambodian positions. Cambodia responded with artillery fire, including on residential areas. It remains unclear who fired first. On Friday evening, Thailand imposed martial law in eight districts in the provinces of Trat and Chanthaburi, citing "ongoing threats to national security" posed by Cambodia. The Foreign Ministry in Bangkok said martial law would allow the military to carry out all necessary operations to maintain peace and order. In Cambodia, 13 people have been killed so far, including eight civilians, the Phnom Penh Post reported, citing Phnom Penh's Defence Ministry. More than 70 people have been injured, 50 of them civilians, according to the newspaper. In Thailand, government figures put the death toll at 14, including 13 civilians, with more than 60 people injured, some seriously. The Thai government said around 130,000 people are currently fleeing the conflict zones. Amid the escalating violence, thousands of Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand are reportedly preparing to return home. According to Thai broadcaster PBS, large crowds - possibly tens of thousands - have applied to cross the border at Ban Laem in Chanthaburi. Social media posts described the movement as a "mass exodus," with many saying they no longer felt safe staying in Thailand. According to the Cambodian government, more than 1.2 million Cambodians were living and working in Thailand in 2024. Images circulating online showed groups of people arriving at the border with their belongings. Cambodia on Friday called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. "Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire - unconditionally - and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute," Cambodia's ambassador to the UN, Chhea Keo, said following a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York. Keo dismissed Bangkok's accusations that Cambodia had attacked, pointing out that Cambodia's army is only a third the size of Thailand's. He also said that Cambodia lacks a fully equipped air force. Thai ambassador to the UN, Cherdchai Chaivaivid, meanwhile, called on Cambodia to immediately cease hostilities in order to open a path to dialogue. He described the escalation as an "illegal and arbitrary act of aggression" but added that the two countries are close neighbours and the violence must end. Thailand and Cambodia have disputed sections of their more than 800-kilometre border for decades. The conflict centres on the temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, a Unesco World Heritage site that both countries claim. - dpa
The Star
20 hours ago
- The Star
Timber worth RM1.1mil seized in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: Timber worth RM1.1mil was seized en route to a wood factory in Ranau. In a raid dubbed Ops Bersepadu Khazanah, General Operations Force (GOF) personnel spotted two trailers along the Tambunan-Ranau road, near Kg Rondogung, at 1.30am on Thursday. Sabah GOF commander Datuk Abdul Rani Alias said the drivers were instructed to pull over for an inspection. 'Our personnel found a total of 59 timber logs worth RM1.189mil. The drivers, aged 43 and 59, failed to produce permits for the timber. 'This is a violation of the Sabah Forestry Department's regulations,' he said in a statement. Both men were detained and the logs as well as the trailers were seized. They would be handed over to the department for further action under the Sabah Forestry Enactment 1968. The timber is believed to have been taken from Tomani Tenom to a factory in Lohan, Ranau. Abdul Rani said GOF would continue to carry out more operations.
