Chinese nationals among 16 people detained for illegal mining in Pahang

RAUB, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- The Pahang Forestry Department carried out a massive operation over the last four days and arrested 16 people, eight of them Chinese nationals, for suspected illegal mining in several forested areas in western Pahang.

The integrated raid, conducted from Oct 30 to today, also resulted in the seizure of several heaps of minerals believed to contain gold and tin ore estimated to be worth RM1.5 million, Pahang Menteri Besar  Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said today.

Thirty-four pieces of heavy equipment and various types of machines, three lorries and one four-wheel-drive vehicle were also seized, he said to reporters after declaring the end of the ‘Ops Lombong 3.0’ raid at a spot in the Tersang Forest Reserve near here.

Wan Rosdy said the 16 arrested people were aged between 18 and 60 and that five of the Chinese nationals did not have valid travel documents and were handed over to the Immigration Department.

“The three other Chinese nationals and eight local people were released on police bail,” he said.

Wan Rosdy said the operation was conducted by 168 enforcement personnel, including from the State Land and Mines Office and the Minerals and Geoscience Department.

Also in the operation were personnel from the Department of Environment, Immigration Department, Raub District and Land Office and the Pahang Water Regulatory Body.

“The state government takes a serious view of  environment-related crimes to ensure the sustainability of the state’s forested, as well as for causing the state government to lose its revenue.

"We are committed in ensuring the state’s resources are managed in a sustainable manner to enable them to be enjoyed by future generation,” he added.

Wan Rosdy said according to the records of the Pahang Forestry Department, Mining Exploration and Leasing Licence had only been issued for 55,059 areas in the state until this year.

On the operation, he said, it involved 155,129 hectare of permanent forest reserves and government land, including areas that were issued with the Mining Exploration and Leasing Licence.

-- BERNAMA