Three of seven timber factories raided on Monday were unlicensed

New Straits Times

30-04-2025

KOTA BARU: Three of the seven timber factories raided by the General Operations Force on Monday were found to be operating without valid permits.
Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan said the state Forestry Department informed him of the matter yesterday.
"I was informed that the GOF had raided seven timber processing factories and one timber storage site in Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Jeli and Tanah Merah on Monday.
"Following the operation, the department conducted thorough inspections and found that three of the factories did not possess valid permits," he told the New Straits Times.
He said the three factories were still in the process of applying for permits but are believed to have been conducting illegal rubberwood sawing activities.
Fadzli said police reports had been lodged against all the factories and the timber storage site involved.
"Machinery seized from the cases have been moved to the evidence storage facility in Manal, Tanah Merah," he said.
He added that various measures had been taken by the Kelantan Forestry Department to prevent a recurrence of such offences.
"This includes the confiscation of timber logs from premises operating without valid permits," he added.
He said the Forestry Department would closely monitor licensed factory areas identified as high-risk for receiving illegally-felled timber.
In Op Khazanah conducted on Monday, the GOF raided seven illegal timber factories and seized various items valued at about RM31.2 million.
GOF Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid had said the simultaneous raids began at 1.30pm in four districts.
The operation involved 73 officers and personnel from the Southeast Brigade's intelligence unit, the 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions, the Strike Force, and the Kelantan Forestry Department.
A total of 39 individuals, including undocumented Myanmar workers, were detained.
Authorities also confiscated 5,537 pieces of forest timber, 25 units of heavy machinery, 93 wood-cutting tools and several processing machines.
Nik Ros Azhan had said forest timber accounted for the largest portion of the seizures, estimated at RM14.98 million, followed by wood-processing equipment worth RM11.75 million.