By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 3: More than RM22.75 million worth of contraband, controlled goods, vehicles, equipment and machinery were seized in 31 successful operations conducted by the Sarawak General Operations Force (PGA) across 11 districts from Oct 15 to 31.
Sarawak PGA Brigade Commander SAC Datuk Lim Bak Phai said the five operations, namely Ops Taring Alpha, Taring Bravo, Taring Batas/Awas, Taring Chiller and Taring Libas, also resulted in 38 arrests, involving 27 locals and 11 foreigners.
“The operations involved various offences, including the possession and sale of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages that had not undergone Customs clearance, diesel misappropriation, smuggling of controlled goods and frozen products, immigration and drug offences, as well as the collection and processing of timber without valid documents or permits,” he said in a statement today.
Op Taring Alpha recorded the highest number of successes, with 19 operations across Kuching, Kota Samarahan, Sibu, Miri, Sri Aman, Serian, Lubok Antu and Betong.
The operations led to the seizure of 2,558 cartons of various cigarette brands, more than 1,800 litres of alcoholic beverages, three vehicles and other items, with a total estimated value of RM1.31 million.
In Sibu, Op Taring Bravo uncovered suspected diesel misappropriation activities, resulting in the arrest of one local man and seven foreign men.
The operation also resulted in the seizure of 500,000 litres of diesel and a vessel, with the total value estimated at RM14.54 million.
Meanwhile, Op Taring Batas/Awas recorded five successful operations in Serian, Lundu and Lubok Antu involving drug and immigration offences, as well as the smuggling of frozen products and controlled goods such as rice, cooking oil and coarse sugar.
Among the items seized were 4,315 kilogrammes of frozen meat products, 14,560 packets of frozen sausages, rice, cooking oil, coarse sugar, two lorries, a car, mobile phones and cash, with a total estimated value of RM911,976.29.
Op Taring Chiller also recorded five successful operations across Padawan, Miri, Kuching, Sibu and Betong, targeting the storage and distribution of frozen products without valid permits.
More than 149,000 kilogrammes of frozen products, including pork, meat, fish and chicken, were seized, alongside three forklifts, a cold storage facility and various processing equipment and machinery.
The total value of the seizures was estimated at RM4.49 million.
In Marudi, Op Taring Libas recorded one successful operation involving the collection and processing of timber without valid documents or permits.
The operation led to the arrest of a local man and the seizure of 2,440 processed timber logs of various sizes, a forklift and timber-processing equipment and machinery, with the total value estimated at RM1.5 million.
Lim said the arrested individuals and seized items had been handed over to the relevant authorities for further investigation and legal action.
He said the brigade would continue working closely with other enforcement agencies to combat illegal activities and safeguard Sarawak’s security and public order. — DayakDaily
