GOF Seizes RM19 Million Worth of Timber in Tanah Merah

KOTA BHARU: The 8th Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF) confiscated timber worth more than RM19 million during raids on two illegal sawmills in Tanah Merah.

GOF Southeast Brigade commander Senior Asst Comm Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the first raid was conducted at a sawmill near Jalan Bukit Kechik, where authorities seized 33 bundles of timber, round logs, timber-processing equipment, and a lorry.

“Investigations showed that the sawmill was operating without a license from the Forestry Department, and the timber was untaxed. A 60-year-old owner and a 27-year-old lorry driver were detained. The seized items were valued at RM10.98 million,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

The case is being investigated under the National Forestry Act 1984 (Act 313) and has been referred to the Kelantan Forestry Department for further action.

In a separate operation at a sawmill in Kampung Bukit Pauh, enforcement officers seized 45 piles of processed wood, five piles of logs, timber-processing equipment, and a heavy machine, with a total value of RM8.2 million.

SAC Nik Ros Azhan revealed that the sawmill operators had repeatedly reused forest product transfer passes to avoid detection. The case is now being investigated under Section 3(2) of the Wood-Based Industries Enactment 1985.

All seized timber and equipment have been handed over to the Kelantan Forestry Department.