IPOH: Crude palm oil, vehicles and equipment worth almost RM1mil have been seized during a police operation in Taiping.

General Operations Force (GOF) Northern Brigade commander Senior Asst Comm Shahrum Hashim said the seizure included 75,400kg of crude palm oil, two tanker lorries, one bonded lorry, equipment used for transferring the oil, and three mobile phones.

SAC Shahrum said three men were also arrested during the operation between 3pm and 6pm on Wednesday (July 16).

“Our team detected a suspicious lorry believed to be involved in palm oil misappropriation in the Taiping area.

“We trailed the lorry until it stopped by the roadside on Jalan Taiping-Bagan Serai,” he said in a statement on Thursday (July 17).

“The suspects were caught in the act of transferring crude palm oil from two tanker lorries into a bonded lorry.

“Upon inspection, we found 10 blue barrels, each with a 200-litre capacity, inside the bonded lorry, along with several pieces of equipment used to transfer the crude palm oil,” he added.

The total value of the seizures was estimated at RM975,200.

SAC Shahrum also said that the Taiping police Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division had issued two summonses to the suspects under the Road Transport Act 1987.

“The suspects and the seized items have been handed over to the Northern Region Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) for further investigation.

“The case is being investigated under Regulation 5 of the MPOB (Licensing) Regulations,” he said.

“The public is urged to act as the authorities’ eyes and ears by reporting any illegal activities,” he added.