KOTA BARU, June 25 — In just nine days of their Ops Benteng deployment at the Malaysia-Thailand Border, the 7th Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF) has successfully seized various items worth over RM2 million in 45 cases.
Its commanding officer Supt Azhari Nusi said during the period, a total of 40 individuals were arrested and 26 vehicles were confiscated.
“We found that during the movement control order period, smuggling activities at the Malaysia-Thailand border are still rampant despite the tighter control (by the authorities),” he said when contacted today.
Yesterday alone, he said the police foiled two smuggling attempts at the Pok Mat and Pok Kob illegal base and seized subsidised goods and a vehicle worth almost RM30,000.
In the first raid at 4.30pm at the Pok Kob illegal base near Pengkalan Kubor, Tumpat, the police seized 144 packets of sugar and 170 packets of cooking oil worth RM1,083 and a Perodua Gen 2 worth RM10,000, which were left behind by the suspects who escaped to Thailand using a boat.
Meanwhile, during the second raid at the Pok Mat illegal base near Rantau Panjang, the police seized 1,360 packets of cooking oil and 500 packets of flour worth RM6,940, after they came across a group of men loading boxes into a boat.
Azhari said all items would be handed over to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for further investigation under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961. — Bernama
