BAU: A bold attempt to sneak more than RM830,000 worth of smuggled goods into Sarawak yesterday (Nov 17) fell through in Serikin when soldiers intercepted four men and detained them.
During surveillance under ‘Ops Keris Parang’, troops from the 11th Battalion Royal Malay Regiment spotted four lorries heading towards a nearby village via an unregistered route from the Indonesia-Malaysia border at around 5.45 pm.
The Eastern Field Army Command headquarters said the quick interception led to the arrest of a Malaysian man and three Indonesian men.
“Further inspections led to the discovery of 21,600 cartons of Gudang Gading-brand cigarettes valued at RM648,000 and 900 sacks of onions worth RM31,500.
“Meanwhile, four lorries valued at RM153,000 were also seized. The total value of all seized items is RM832,500,” the headquarters said.
The suspects and seized goods have been handed over to the Bau district police headquarters (IPD) for further investigation.
Police said the success effectively shut down yet another avenue exploited by smuggling syndicates along Sarawak’s land border.
They said the continued vigilance of troops and strong cooperation among enforcement agencies were key to the operation’s success.
