GOF Central Brigade Seizes RM1 Million Worth Of Vapes In Five States

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 (Bernama) -- The General Operations Force (GOF) Central Brigade seized 2,263 vape devices and 165.463 litres of electronic cigarette liquid worth more than RM1 million during Op E-Cig Mega raids conducted simultaneously in five states last Tuesday.

GOF Central Brigade commander SAC Hakemal Hawari said the operation was carried out in collaboration with strategic partners, including the Health Ministry (MOH) and local authorities.

He said a total of 30 premises selling vape devices and liquids were raided, involving 11 locations in Kuala Lumpur, followed by Selangor (four), Negeri Sembilan (three), Melaka (five) and Johor (seven).

“A total of 51 individuals were screened during the operation, comprising 31 men and 20 women. Two foreign men in their 30s, from Indonesia and Bangladesh, were detained under the Immigration Act 1959/63,” he told a press conference here today.

According to him, the operation also recorded collections amounting to RM28,500 from compounds and summonses issued by the MOH and local authorities for various offences.

Among the offences were selling products without licences and violations under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 and Trade, Business and Industrial Licensing By-Laws.

In a separate case, Hakemal said the brigade crippled a migrant smuggling syndicate active in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, through Op Taring Delta conducted last Tuesday.

He said in a raid at a coastal area in Sabak Bernam at about 5 am, 41 individuals were detained, including 21 adult men, 17 adult women and a boy.

Initial investigations had found that two men believed to be boat skippers from Aceh, Indonesia and had been residing in Malaysia for a long period, frequently operated in the early hours to avoid detection by authorities while switching to cashless payment methods for their services.

“The syndicate charged between RM1,500 and RM3,000 per person for each trip. They used large deep-sea fishing vessels via routes along the northern coast of Selangor,” he said.

Meanwhile, in BUKIT KAYU HITAM, Kedah, GOF Northern Brigade commander SAC Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh said 2,684 bottles of electronic cigarette liquid along with devices were seized during raids on 22 premises in Perak, Kedah and Penang, estimated to be worth RM252,245.

He said 23 individuals, comprising 17 men and six women aged between 20 and 45, were detained in the raids.

“A total of 22 premises were raided, involving 11 locations in Perak, eight in Kedah and three in Penang. Apart from retail activities, the raiding team also discovered a premises in Kulim, Kedah, suspected of being used to process electronic cigarette liquid,” he said.

In another operation, Balveer Singh said his team seized 40 pig carcasses, estimated to be worth RM96,390, believed to have been smuggled from a neighbouring country during an operation at Jalan Ulu Pauh, Chuping, Perlis, yesterday.

He said initial investigations by the GOF First Battalion Intelligence Branch suspected that the carcasses were smuggled from Thailand without valid permits or documents and two local men aged 32 and 63 were detained.

-- BERNAMA