Authorities foil bid to smuggle 1,496kg of cooking oil in Kelantan

KOTA BHARU: Authorities managed to foil an attempt to smuggle in 1,496 kilogrammes (kg) of cooking oil during an incident in Kampung Pohon Tanjung, Rantau Panjang, near here, yesterday.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KDPNHEP) Kelantan branch chief enforcement officer Azanizam Affendi Juri said an enforcement team noticed a man in a Mitsubishi Pajero with Malaysian registration plates behaving suspiciously around Rantau Panjang around 7 pm.

The driver, upon realising he was being followed, accelerated and beat several traffic lights in an effort to evade the authorities.

"The suspect then escaped into a paddy field around Kampung Pohon Tanjung, Rantau Panjang when the vehicle sustained damage due to overloading.

"The authorities checked the vehicle and found 88 boxes of subsidised oil with an estimated quantity of 1,496 kg," he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, Azanizam Affendi said that in a separate incident, a woman in her 30s was detained with 493 kg of cooking oil suspected to be owned without a valid licence at a house in Kampung Bunohan, Tumpat, near here at 12.30 pm yesterday.

He said the suspect was believed to be involved in smuggling cooking oil into a neighbouring country near the Malaysia-Thailand border.

"The suspect was detained under a joint operation by personnel from the KPDNHEP and General Operations Force 7th Battalion after getting a tip-off about her illegal activities.

"Investigations revealed that the suspect used the house as a temporary storage facility and transit point before the goods are taken to the neighbouring country," he said.

Azanizam Affendi said the total value of the seizures in both operations was estimated at RM9,972.50 while the value of the subsidised controlled item was RM4972.50, adding that the vehicle was worth RM5,000.

"Further investigations will be conducted under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and stern action will be taken against any individual or company involved," he said.

-- BERNAMA