Kota Kinabalu: Police foiled a smuggling syndicate believed operating the past 10 years with the seizure of frozen food worth more than RM33.686 million in five raids on several warehouses this month.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah said they were confiscated under Ops Kontraband between Jan. 4 and 16 at different locations here and Papar.
He said 33 locals and an Indonesian aged 19 to 51 have been remanded to facilitate investigations.
“The first was carried out at a warehouse at Jalan Lok Kawi on Jan. 4. The 8.45pm raid saw 17,926 boxes and 212 plastic packets of frozen chicken parts, 22,763 boxes of assorted fish and 2,107 boxes containing sausages and nuggets totalling RM21.35 million,” he said.
The second was carried out the same day at an industrial area in Papar at 9pm which saw some 3,468 boxes and 794 plastic packets of frozen chicken valued at RM967,284 being seized.
The third raid resulted in RM8.29 million worth of frozen food being seized from a warehouse in Kinarut on Jan. 14.
He said another confiscation worth about RM2.553 million was made the following day. The fifth was at a warehouse in Putatan where some 2,800 boxes of frozen chicken wings and 760 boxes of frozen chicken thighs valued at RM577,320 were seized on Jan. 16.
The seized frozen food did not go through the proper channel to avoid taxes and did not have the halal logo.
Idris said based on police investigations, nine syndicates have been identified for importing frozen food without Customs Department approval in Sabah and that they have been active for the past 10 years.
“We will continue our investigation and raids to stop this illegal activity,” he said.
The Ops Kontraband was carried out jointly with other agencies such as Wildlife Crime Bureau, Sabah Customs Department and Sabah Department of Veterinary Services.
