Lubok gong: The Kelantan branch of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) seized nearly two tonnes of subsidised cooking oil and three vehicles worth about RM20,000 during a special operation at an illegal base in Lubok Gong near Pasir Mas last night.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kelantan KPDN deputy director Aswadi Jaafar stated that the operation, which led to the significant seizure, was executed at 12:30 am by the Pengkalan Kubor Region 3 Marine Police and the 7th Battalion of the General Operations Force. During the raid, a group of men was discovered unloading boxes of cooking oil from several vehicles onto a boat along the banks of Sungai Golok. However, upon noticing the authorities, all suspects fled by boat towards the neighbouring country.
The team found that 500 kg of packaged cooking oil was left on the riverbank, with the remainder still in three vehicles-two Proton Wajas and a Proton Wira Aeroback-used to transport the goods. Aswadi Jaafar explained that the cooking oil, weighing a total of 1,983 kilograms, along with the three vehicles, was seized for investigation under Section 20(1) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961. The KPDN Pasir Mas Branch Enforcement Division will conduct further investigations to identify the masterminds and the smuggling network involved.
In a related development, Aswadi mentioned that between January and February 11, action had been taken on 140 cases involving various offences, resulting in the seizure of goods valued at RM439,666. Out of these, 91 cases were recorded under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, involving goods worth RM88,197, alongside the seizure of 46 vehicles valued at RM204,600 and 32 arrests.
The cases primarily included the seizure of petrol worth RM25,022, wheat flour valued at RM22,441, cooking oil at RM19,582, sugar (RM13,967), diesel (RM4,388), and cooking gas (RM2,794). Aswadi emphasized that the KPDN would continue to tighten control over illegal bases and would not compromise with individuals involved in embezzlement activities along the border.