Timber, plants worth nearly RM4mil seized in Kelantan

Timber, plants worth nearly RM4mil seized in Kelantan

PETALING JAYA: The General Operations Force (GOF) recently carried out two successful raids against smuggling activities in Kelantan, seizing timber and ornamental plants worth nearly RM4 million.

Southeast brigade GOF chief Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said both raids, under its Op Taring Wawasan Kelantan, took place in Rantau Panjang, Bernama reported.

The first seizure was made by a GOF team that inspected a sawmill in Kampung Bukit Tandak, Rantau Panjang, last Thursday.

“The sawmill had a valid operating licence but checks revealed discrepancies in the documentation related to the stored timber, along with a failure to update the logbook on timber entry.

“Further inspection uncovered 525 logs of various sizes and species, 36,000 processed timber pieces, and several wood-processing machines on the premises,” he said in a statement today.

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He added that a 48-year-old sawmill clerk was arrested to assist in the investigation.

According to Nik Ros Azhan, the seized items are valued at an estimated RM2.44 million, and the case is being investigated under Section 69(1) of the National Forestry Act 1984.

The suspect and confiscated items have been handed over to the Kelantan forestry department for further action, Bernama reported.

In a separate raid later the same day, the same GOF team seized ornamental plants found in a lorry that had been stopped in front of Sekolah Gual Tinggi.

Nik Ros Azhan said the lorry was found to be carrying nine large bonsai trees suspected of being infested with pests and diseases.

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“The lorry driver, a 33-year-old man, was detained for allegedly delivering the plants to the local market. The total value of the seized items, including the lorry, is estimated at RM1.55 million.

“The case is being investigated under Section 5 of the Plant Quarantine Act 1976 (Act 167), and the suspect and seized items have been handed over to the Kelantan plant biosecurity division for further action,” he was quoted as saying.