Kelantan authorities busts syndicate smuggling 7,000kg cooking oil to neighbouring country
KOTA BHARU: The Kelantan Domestic Trade Ministry busted a syndicate smuggling subsidised cooking oil to neighbouring countries through the seizure of 7,735 kg of cooking oil in a raid in Tendong, Pasir Mas, on Wednesday night (April 23).
Its director, Azman Ismail, said in the operation carried out at 9.35pm, a team of the ministry's enforcement officials, together with the Region Three Marine Police Force raided a house that was used as a transit point for the goods.
He said the raids led to the arrest of three local men aged between 20 and 40 years old and the seizure of two vehicles, including a truck and a car.
"Further inspection found a total of 455 boxes containing 1kg subsidised cooking oil packets of various brands hidden in the trucks and cars," he said in a statement Thursday (April 24).
According to him, preliminary investigations found that the syndicate employed a modus operandi of obtaining cooking oil supplies from abroad without any valid documents, which were then misappropriated and smuggled to neighbouring countries.
He added that a man was also arrested while unloading cooking oil into a car during the raid, while another suspect, believed to be the driver of the vehicle, managed to escape and is now being hunted by the authorities.
"The case is being investigated under the Supply Control Act 1961 which provides for a fine of up to RM1mil or imprisonment of up to three years or both for individuals, while companies or corporations can be fined up to RM2mil.
"The ministry will not compromise with any party that violates the law and will continue to intensify the implementation of Ops Tiris as well as carry out strategic cooperation with enforcement agencies at the country's borders," he said.
He urged the public to come forward and channel information if they suspect any suspicious activities related to the misappropriation of controlled goods in their areas. – Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
7 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Gerik crash: Bus operator's permit revoked
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the company, based in Kedah, was also found to have leased its permit to a third party in Kelantan for RM500 a month. 11 Jun 2025 09:48pm Loke said preliminary investigations also revealed that the bus operator had failed to activate the vehicle's Global Positioning System (GPS). - Bernama photo KUALA LUMPUR - The permit of the bus operator involved in a crash that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students on Monday has been revoked with immediate effect. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the company, based in Kedah, was also found to have leased its permit to a third party in Kelantan for RM500 a month. Loke said preliminary investigations also revealed that the bus operator had failed to activate the vehicle's Global Positioning System (GPS). - Bernama photo "The leasing agreement violated the permit conditions. "I have instructed the Land Public Transport Agency to revoke the company's permit immediately upon expiry of the show-cause letter period,' he told a press conference at Angkasapuri today, which was also attended by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. The tragedy occurred early Monday morning when the bus carrying UPSI students overturned at KM 53 on the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, Gerik, Perak. The crash also left 33 people injured, including the bus driver and co-pilot, as well as the driver and three passengers of a Perodua Alza, which was involved in the incident. Loke said preliminary investigations also revealed that the bus operator had failed to activate the vehicle's Global Positioning System (GPS). "When we requested the GPS report, the company failed to provide it, as the system had not been activated. This is a serious breach. "As such, the bus operator's permit or operating licence has been revoked with no right to appeal,' he said. On the bus driver's claim that the crash was caused by brake failure, Loke said a full forensic investigation would be conducted. "Dashcam footage clearly shows the bus overtaking at high speed before veering off the road. The driver's claim will be reviewed to assist police in further action,' he added. - BERNAMA
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Prison guards foil drone drug delivery attempt in Bandung
JAKARTA: Indonesian prison officials have foiled a brazen attempt to smuggle methamphetamine into a Bandung facility using a drone. The incident occurred in broad daylight on Sunday at the Class IIA Narcotics Prison in Bandung, West Java, prison authorities said in a statement. Prison's security unit head Muhammad Nurzaman said guards on duty spotted a drone flying over the inmate housing block before it dropped a package inside the facility. "Officers quickly secured the package and prevented an inmate, believed to be linked to the smuggling attempt, from retrieving it," he added. A preliminary examination revealed two packets of methamphetamine weighing a total of 25 grammes. The suspected inmate and the seized drugs were handed over to narcotics police in Bandung for further investigation. "This incident shows that smuggling methods are no longer conventional. They now involve technology such as drones," Muhammad said. The attempt is part of a growing trend in Indonesia, where criminal networks are increasingly turning to drones to bypass tight prison security. Similar incidents were reported at Sragen Prison in 2023 and at Nusa Kambangan, the country's highest-security facility, as early as 2019, both located in Central Java. – BERNAMA
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Gerik bus crash: School to prepare report on teacher's offensive remarks on students' deaths, says state govt
IPOH: The Perak Education Department has instructed a school to prepare a full report concerning one of its teachers, who allegedly posted offensive remarks on social media about the recent tragic accident which claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students, on the East-West Highway (JRTB). State education, higher education, youth and sports committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah said that a full report would be prepared by the principal of the secondary school involved, in accordance with the circulars issued by the Education Ministry. He said that initial investigations confirmed that the Facebook account responsible for the insensitive post belonged to a teacher at the school. "As an educator, I deeply regret the actions of this individual, who made inappropriate remarks regarding the tragic incident involving the UPSI students,' he said. He added that following the viral post, the District Education Office (PPD) immediately contacted the school principal, while the PPD counsellor reached out to the teacher to remove the content. "A check conducted at 8.10pm yesterday confirmed that the post had been deleted,' he told Bernama when contacted on Wednesday (June 11). Earlier, a Facebook post by an account bearing the name 'Khalid Yunus' sparked public outrage, after alleging that the 15 UPSI students who died in the tragic accident had "died in disgrace". The post further claimed that the victims were not among the faithful, as they had passed away while still owing debt to the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN). However, the post has since been deleted, and the teacher involved has issued a public apology, claiming to suffer from schizophrenia. In the early Monday (June 9) morning incident, 15 UPSI students lost their lives when the bus they were travelling in overturned at KM53 of JRTB, near Tasik Banding, Gerik.- Bernama
