RM200,000 worth of crushed rice seized at Malaysia-Thai border

ALOR SETAR, Oct 11 (Bernama) – The Malaysian Border Control Agency (AKSEM) in Kedah seized 68 metric tonnes of crushed rice worth about RM200,000 from two trailers in Pokok Sena, near here yesterday.

AKSEM Commander Abdul Latif Abdul Rahman said the raid was carried out by a team led by Deputy Commander of Intelligence/Operation, Insp Anandha Krisnan at 4.25pm ​​based on public information.

Earlier, AKSEM personnel arrested the trailers driven by two local men, one in his 20s and the other in his 40s, who behaved suspiciously as they were heading from Kuala Nerang to Alor Setar at the traffic light junction in Pokok Sena.

"We detained the local lorry drivers because we were doubtful of the import permit which stated that the lorry was carrying animal feed or bran. However upon further inspection, we found jumbo bags containing crushed rice,” he added

“The crushed rice we believe was to be brought to the factory where it would be mixed with better quality rice ready for the local market as the intention was to gain more profit. This is the first rice smuggling case this year," he told reporters here today.

He said the crushed rice was believed to have been smuggled from Thailand through the Malaysian-Thai border at Kota Putra, Durian Burung in Kuala Nerang.

Abdul Latif said the bag-loads of crushed rice and the trailers valued at RM400,000 were then seized before being handed over to the state Padi and Rice Regulatory Office for further action.

-- BERNAMA