Kelantan Aksem confiscate Thai rice worth RM200,000

PASIR MAS: The Malaysian Border Security Agency (Aksem) has seized 21,300kg of rice from Thailand valued at RM200,000, believed to be smuggled from a neighbouring country, in a raid at a store in Kampung Belukar here, today.
Kelantan Aksem commander Mohd Asri Yahya said the rice confiscated during the 7am raid was found in 200 gunny sacks which were imprinted as "Beras Nasional" to evade detection by the authorities.
He said the success of the seizure was a follow-up from an earlier operation in which Aksem personnel were pursuing a van carrying smuggled rice from Kubang Pak Itam, Tumpat to Kampung Belukar.
"Before the raid on the godown, Aksem was pursuing a van believed to be smuggling rice at 3am but the vehicle managed to escape after Aksem's car was blocked by two four-wheel drive suspected to be from the syndicate concerned.
"They then threw the gunny sacks of rice on the road to prevent the authorities from pursuing them," he told reporters here today.
Mohd Asri said even though the van escaped, Aksem received a tip-off that the vehicle was heading towards a godown in Kampung Belukar and Aksem rushed to the godown and found a trailer with 200 gunny sacks of Thai rice.
"Investigations revealed that the godown was licensed but the rice and trailer were seized for investigations.
"The rice and trailer were estimated to be worth RM280,000 and would be handed over to the Paddy and Rice Regulatory Section and Kelantan National Rice for further action," he said.
Meanwhile, Paddy and Rice Regulatory Section deputy director Harun Iskandar Abdullah said the godown owner, in his 40's, could be charged under Section 9(2)(a) of the Control of Paddy and Rice Act 1994.
He said action could be taken as the owner was suspected to have obtained the rice from illegal sources and for failure to produce documents for the rice. — Bernama