KUCHING: The Sarawak General Operations Force (GOF) arrested 11 men, including three foreign nationals aged between 19 and 58, following a raid at a premises in Bau suspected to be used for storing rattan without a valid permit on May 19.
Sarawak GOF Brigade deputy commander ACP Rosdi Inai said the operation, codenamed Op Bersepadu Khazanah, was conducted by the Intelligence Branch of the Sarawak Brigade GOF Headquarters in Kuching at around 10.30 am.
“Further inspection led to the discovery of an estimated 15,000kg of rattan stored at the premises,” he said in a statement today.
Also seized were two lorries believed to have been used in the illegal operation.
“The estimated total value of the seizure is RM490,000 based on market price,” he added.
All detainees and the seized items have been handed over to the Bau district police and the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Kuching Division for further investigation and action.
The case is being investigated under Section 30 of the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998, Section 6(1)(C) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155), Section 26(1) and Section 23(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
