Johor: Police seized various equipment and metal products that did not meet standard specifications, worth more than RM96 million, in Op Padu 2.0 conducted on six factories in Johor, Selangor, and Melaka yesterday. Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department (KDNKA) director Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim said that the raids were conducted on factories that import, process, and supply metal products for the construction sector and various local industries.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, among the seized items were 11,000 rebar of various sizes; 152,830 hollow section steel bars; 4,393 flat bars of various sizes; 2,432 coils of hot-dipped galvanised steel sheets; various types of metal cutting machines; three forklifts; and 152 gas cylinders, all estimated to be worth RM96,350,231. Azmi stated that the raids revealed several offences, including the failure to present valid Standard Compliance Certification (PPS) documents for the import of iron and metal products used in the construction sector. Some metal products, categorized as finished products, were found without valid PPS by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) for use in the domestic construction sector, alongside semi-finished products believed to have been imported illegally.
Azmi noted that the factories also employed illegal foreign workers. The operation detained and inspected a total of 60 workers, comprising three local men and 57 foreign nationals, aged between 26 and 59 years old, for various offences. Those detained under the Immigration Act were handed over to the State Immigration Department, and the compound value issued amounted to RM12,000.
The Op Padu 2.0 operation was conducted by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau/Special Investigation Intelligence (WCB/PSK) in collaboration with other enforcement agencies, including the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Immigration Department of Malaysia, Department of Environment, CIDB, Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM), and the local authorities (PBT).
Azmi also mentioned that from January 1 until yesterday, WCB/PSK had conducted 161 raids nationwide and arrested 296 individuals for various offences involving the smuggling of undeclared goods, leakage of controlled and subsidised goods, smuggling of wildlife, and the sale of fake weapons, with a total seizure value of RM540.2 million. PDRM (the Royal Malaysia Police) welcomes the cooperation with other enforcement agencies and supports the government’s intention to ensure the welfare of the people, national security, and public order are maintained. Public involvement and cooperation in providing information to the police are highly encouraged to eradicate these crimes completely.