Police Thwart Sugar, Cooking Oil Smuggling Attempts Into Thailand

KOTA BHARU, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- A total of 13,000 kilogrammes (kg) of sugar being smuggled to Thailand was seized by the General Operations Force (GOF) during Operation Taring Wawasan Kelantan in Kampung Kulim Wakaf Bharu, Tumpat, yesterday.

Commander SAC Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Ab Hamid, said that the seizure was conducted by a team from the 8th Battalion at 5 pm after intercepting a suspicious Isuzu lorry driven by a man.

"Upon inspection of  the lorry, grocery items, specifically raw sugar, were found without valid documentation.

"The suspect, a 26-year-old man, is believed to have been the courier attempting to smuggle the sugar into a neighbouring country," he said in a statement today.

He added that the total value of the seized goods was estimated at RM40,285.20, and both the items and the suspect were taken to the Wakaf Bharu police station for further action under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.

In a separate incident at 6 pm in the same village, members of the 8th Battalion also thwarted an attempt to smuggle cooking oil.

Nik Ros Azhan said the seizure was made after two vehicles – a Daihatsu lorry and a Toyota Hiace van – were stopped under suspicious circumstances at the roadside.

"Upon inspection, 300 boxes of cooking oil were found in the two vehicles without valid documentation. The two suspects, aged 56 and 24, are believed to have been couriers attempting to smuggle the cooking oil into a neighbouring country.

"The estimated value of the seized cooking oil is RM12,750, and the case is being investigated under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961," he said.

-- BERNAMA