GUA MUSANG, Oct 29 — The General Operations Force (GOF) has seized a lorry carrying 25 metric tonnes of Super Import white rice suspected to have been smuggled in from Thailand, during an operation in Paloh here last night.
Sinar Harian reported that the rice and the lorry seized in the 11pm operation, codenamed Op Taring Wawasan, were worth an estimated RM550,000 in total.
GOF Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Ahmad Radzi Hussain said personnel on patrol spotted a suspicious lorry near Kampung Pangkal Senor, along the Kota Bharu-Gua Musang highway.
He said the lorry was stopped for inspection by the roadside of Jalan Bentong-Kota Bharu, in front of a building.
“The inspection found that the lorry was carrying Super Import white rice suspected to have been smuggled from Thailand.
“The driver produced two copies of invoices to explain the source and destination of the rice, but there were doubts over the delivery location stated in the documents,” he told reporters this morning.
Ahmad Radzi said this led to the arrest of the 38-year-old driver to assist in investigations.
He said the lorry, the entire load of rice and the two invoices were seized and handed over to the Kelantan office of the National Paddy and Rice Regulatory (KPB) for further action.
“Initial checks found that the delivery location stated in the invoices was inaccurate, raising suspicion that the documents were used to mislead the authorities about the true source and purpose of the shipment.
“However, the authenticity of the documents is still under investigation,” he was quoted as saying.
According to the Malay daily, Ahmad Radzi said investigations would be widened to identify the source of supply, those who prepared and used the invoices, the transporter, the recipient and the distribution network for the suspected smuggled rice.
The case is being investigated under Section 20 of the Control of Padi and Rice Act 1994.
