KLANG: The attempt by a syndicate which was believed to have wanted to smuggle cooking oil into Africa was crippled by the Selangor Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPNDKK) today.
In a four hour raid that started at 12pm, the syndicate which was operating in a scrap metal yard at the Sungai Puloh industrial area in Klang Utama was raided by an KPDNKK enforcement team. Some 5,000 kilogrammes of cooking oil worth an estimated RM10,500 was seized by the enforcement team. An African national in his 30s, believed to be the manager of the premises, was also arrested to facilitate investigations.
It is understood that the high price of the cooking oil, which can fetch as much as RM100 for a 5 kilogramme bottle in Africa, and the huge demand for it was the reason the illegal activity was thriving and done on a large scale.
Selangor KPDNKK assistant enforcement director Yusof Bakar said the syndicate was oeprating behind the facade of a scrap metal business. “The confiscated cooking oil will be brought to our storage in order for us to carry out further investigations. This case is being investigated under the Control Supplies Act 1961. “We take the smuggling of controlled items seriously as it brings huge losses to the country,” he said.
