Sarawak: The General Operations Force (GOF) Sarawak Brigade conducted a successful operation, Op Taring, resulting in the seizure of smuggled goods valued at RM5.08 million. The operation, which ran from November 11 until yesterday, targeted various illegal activities involving frozen products, diesel, liquor, and cigarettes.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sarawak Brigade commander SAC Lim Bak Phai reported the initial breakthrough on November 11, when GOF officers intercepted a lorry in Kampung Stass, Bau. The raid led to the arrest of a 37-year-old local man and the confiscation of 8,200 kilogrammes of frozen meat lacking valid documentation. The total value of this seizure, including the lorry, was RM273,800.
Lim further detailed an incident on November 12 in Kampung Raso, Lundu, where a 28-year-old local man was apprehended while attempting to smuggle 2,400 kilogrammes of frozen meat without a permit. The combined value of the meat and lorry was RM163,200. The same day witnessed simultaneous raids at four separate premises, resulting in the arrest of five local men aged between 29 and 44, along with a foreign national. The operation led to the seizure of 16,700 litres of diesel, fuel pump equipment, a semi-tanker trailer, 190.08 litres of liquor, 516 cartons of cigarettes, and two lorries, all valued at RM1,011,608.
Further actions saw raids at six premises across Kuching, Bau, and Sematan, where authorities arrested three local men, two local women, and a foreign woman. The seizures included 340 litres of diesel, 17 drums of oil, 2,986.32 litres of hard liquor, 364 cartons of cigarettes, and a lorry, amounting to RM325,742.20. On November 18, in Kuching, GOF operations at four premises resulted in the arrest of three local men and a local woman, with 807 cartons of cigarettes and 643.86 litres of liquor seized, valued at RM312,548.60.
In Engkilili on November 20, a 54-year-old local man was detained for using subsidised diesel without a valid permit. The seizure included 700 litres of diesel, oil drums, an oil pump, a four-wheel drive, and four excavators, worth RM1,324,349. The same day in Tebedu, GOF patrols discovered 16 black plastic packages containing 144 kilogrammes of sausages and 30 kilogrammes of frozen beef tripe, suspected to be smuggled, valued at RM1,865.
On November 21, two local men, aged 27 and 40, were arrested at the same location for transporting 220 kilogrammes of frozen pork without valid documentation. A motor van valued at RM89,400 was also confiscated. On November 23, in Bintulu, GOF officers arrested a 63-year-old local man, seizing 1,278 cartons of cigarettes, 3,429 litres of liquor, and a van, bringing the total to RM1,510,834.80. The operation concluded with a final raid on November 24 at four premises in Kuching and Serian, where two local men and two local women were apprehended, and 188 cartons of cigarettes and 316.8 litres of liquor worth RM76,648 were confiscated.