Op Hazard Sarawak: 20 arrested, RM19.6 mln in e-waste seized

Enforcement personnel at one of the raided premises. – GOF Sarawak photo
KUCHING (June 18): Twenty persons were detained and over RM19.6 million worth of electronic waste and equipment were seized during Op Hazard 2.0 Sarawak raids conducted statewide on June 16.
The operation was led by the General Operations Force (GOF) in collaboration with the Immigration Department, local councils, Department of Environment and police.
GOF Sarawak Brigade deputy commander ACP Rosdi Inai said two raids were conducted here, one each in Kota Samarahan and Sibu, and two in Bintulu.
'From 10am to 9pm on June 16, we successfully detained 13 locals, including one woman aged between 24 and 58, as well as seven foreign nationals aged between 21 and 32.
'Further inspections uncovered various types of unprocessed e-waste, scrap materials, and equipment believed to be used to dismantle electronic components to extract precious metals such as gold, silver, and copper,' he said in a statement today.
He added that the illegal activities were believed to have been carried out covertly in remote areas to avoid detection by the authorities, with the extracted materials then sent to Peninsular Malaysia for further processing.
'Stern action will be taken as this activity not only violates the law but also poses significant threats to the environment and public safety,' he said.
The case is being investigated under several laws, including the Environmental Quality Act 1974, Immigration Act 1959/63, Scrap Metal Act 1946, and relevant local authority by-laws concerning hygiene.
Rosdi said GOF Sarawak remains committed to working closely with relevant agencies to combat environmental crimes and ensure greater compliance with the law.
He said from Jan 1 up until today, GOF Sarawak has recorded 228 cases with total seizures amounting to RM284.7 million, involving 340 arrests and 189 seized vehicles.

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