The Federal Reserve Unit arrested 21 workers and seized items worth RM71.8 million in a raid on an illegal electronic waste processing factory at an industrial area in Gurun, Kedah.
FRU commander Rosli Yusof said the raid was carried out at 11am yesterday, with the help of intelligence from Bukit Aman, the FRU 3 Penang unit, and the environment department (DoE).
He said those arrested comprised a Malaysian and 20 foreign nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, believed to have been working in the country illegally.
“Further inspection of the premises uncovered piles of electrical cables, copper, aluminium, electronic components, as well as 1,043 jumbo bags filled with plastic,” Berita Harian quoted him as saying.
The workers were handed over to the Kuala Muda police headquarters for investigation under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
The seized e-waste and equipment will be analysed and investigated by the Sungai Petani DoE under the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
“Investigations are ongoing to track down the syndicate’s mastermind, believed to have long profited greatly from this environmentally harmful activity,” Rosli said.
