GOF 'buries' eight-year illegal sand operation, with RM5mil in seizures

 

GOF Central Brigade commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Hakemal Hawari said the operation involved bringing unwanted sand from elsewhere, including construction sites, to the site for processing. - NSTP/AUSTIN CAMOENS

SHAH ALAM: An illegal sand processing operation, which sold sand for RM600 per truckload and moved between 30 and 60 loads daily, is believed to have been operating for about eight years.

The operation at Jalan Lapangan Terbang Subang Lama was busted yesterday during Op Gali Mega, a joint operation led by the General Operations Force (GOF) Central Brigade.

GOF Central Brigade commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Hakemal Hawari said the operation involved bringing unwanted sand from elsewhere, including construction sites, to the site for processing.

"The illegal operation is believed to have been active for about eight years.

"Its modus operandi was to bring in unwanted sand from elsewhere, such as construction sites, before processing it here to extract fine sand.

"The processed fine sand was then sold for RM600 per truckload, with between 30 and 60 lorries transporting the sand out daily," he said when met last night.

Hakemal said the raid was carried out about 3.30pm at the 0.64ha site with the Selangor Land and Mines Office, Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) and Immigration Department.

Twelve men, including seven foreigners, were detained.

Authorities also seized about 1,500 tonnes of sand, heavy machinery and equipment used to wash and process the sand, with the total value estimated at RM5 million.

Hakemal said investigations were ongoing to identify the mastermind behind the operation and determine where the processed sand was being sold.

He said the operation used water from a nearby river to process the sand, resulting in pollution which caused the river water to turn murky.

"The illegal activities were carried out during the day," he added.

"The site was among seven locations raided under Op Gali Mega in Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor since Wednesday, with total seizures amounting to RM13.2 million," he said.

Hakemal said 31 people were screened during the operations, resulting in 15 arrests for various offences.

"The success of this operation was the result of continuous intelligence gathering and surveillance," he said.

The cases are being investigated under the National Land Code 1965, Selangor Water Management Authority Enactment 1999, Immigration Act 1959/63 and relevant by-laws. - NST