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One of Sarawak's biggest smuggling busts — police seize RM26.6 million worth of contraband beer and heavy equipment in a Kuching warehouse raid. [image: 1783299790565-contraband-beer-1.jpg] Bukit Aman's elite Wildlife Crime Bureau led 'Op Taring Alpha 2' on July 3, hitting a premises that was stockpiling tens of thousands of uncustomed beer cartons — mostly from local craft brand 1602. Here's what they found: 39,196 cartons of 1602 Smooth Lager (330ml) 20,788 cartons of Pure Lager (330ml) 3,210 cartons of Pale Ale, plus hundreds more of Golden Lager & Lager Fresh Three shipping containers loaded with contraband Two Toyota forklifts Three Indonesian men, all aged around 35, were arrested during the operation. The 1602 brand hits back In a press conference on July 5, 1602's executive director Dato Sri Vicent Lee Kee Lung insisted the company is "fully licensed" and tax-compliant, saying all permits — brewery licence, wholesale licence and liquor sales licence — are in order. [image: 1783299790635-1602-press-conf.jpg] Lee claimed his company suspects the rapid growth of 1602 has hurt the illegal alcohol market, and that enforcement may have been influenced by outside parties. He said 1602 will submit evidence of suspected smuggling activities to police, Customs and MACC. The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967. Nationwide, Bukit Aman's enforcement unit has conducted 199 raids between Jan 1 and July 4 this year, arresting 374 individuals and seizing goods worth RM258.5 million. Location: Kuching Details: Op Taring Alpha 2, July 3 raid Sources: DayakDaily (Raid) · DayakDaily (1602 Response) What do you think — is 1602 being unfairly targeted, or is there more to this story?

[image: 1781226902998-bintulu-customs.jpg] Customs officers in Bintulu have smashed a major smuggling syndicate, seizing contraband worth RM7.39 million — including over 4.3kg of suspected cannabis. The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) Sarawak carried out a series of raids between April and May, uncovering: 7.2 million sticks of illicit cigarettes 8,100 litres of untaxed liquor 4.3kg of compressed cannabis 2 vehicles linked to the smuggling ring The biggest haul came on May 19 when officers raided an empty warehouse along Jalan Bintulu-Miri. Inside: 5.42 million cigarette sticks and 2,788 litres of liquor, worth RM5.44 million in total — including unpaid duties. Three other raids at abandoned houses in Taman Seaview and a vacant unit at Plaza Li Hua uncovered another 1.79 million cigarettes and 5,300 litres of liquor. Location: Bintulu, Sarawak Details: The syndicate used empty houses and warehouses as temporary storage before distributing to local markets. All four cases are being investigated under the Customs Act 1967 — offenders face fines of up to 20x the value of the goods or RM500,000, imprisonment of 6 months to 5 years, or both. On the drug front, Customs intercepted four cannabis trafficking attempts through courier parcels addressed to Bintulu. Two local men were arrested. The cannabis cases fall under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 — which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. Sarawak Customs director Datuk Norizan Yahya urged the public to report smuggling via the toll-free hotline: 1-800-88-8855. Source: https://dayakdaily.com/customs-seizes-contraband-cigarettes-liquor-and-cannabis-worth-rm7-39-mln-in-bintulu/ What do you think about this bust?

Sarawak GOF seizes RM17.5 million in assets, busts massive diesel smuggling ring KUCHING (May 28) — The Sarawak Brigade of the General Operations Force (GOF) has cracked down on a large-scale diesel smuggling syndicate, seizing over 342,000 litres of subsidised diesel worth approximately RM1.8 million. [image: gof-diesel-bust.jpg] GOF commander SAC Lim Bak Phai The operation, code-named Op Tiris, ran from March 16 to Tuesday across 11 districts including Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Sibu, Kapit, Bintulu, Miri, Lawas, Bau, Serian and Lundu. Sarawak GOF Brigade commander SAC Lim Bak Phai said 820 inspections were conducted, resulting in 58 cases and 69 arrests. Breakdown of seizures: 342,000 litres of subsidised diesel — worth ~RM1.8 million Tanker lorries, heavy machinery and skid tanks valued at nearly RM17.5 million Over 5 tonnes of subsidised cooking oil (~RM40,000) More than 7 tonnes of coarse sugar (~RM31,000) One major find: a tugboat in Bintulu used to illegally store 20,000 litres of diesel without a valid permit. All cases have been handed over to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Sarawak under the Control of Supplies Act 1961. Location: Multiple districts across Sarawak Details: 820 inspections, 69 arrests, RM20.3M total seizures Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2026/05/28/sarawak-gof-busts-diesel-ring-seizes-rm17-5-mln-in-assets-342000-litres-of-fuel/ What do you think?

13 people including two children and a local man have been detained at the Lubok Antu-Badau border area after police busted a migrant smuggling operation early Monday morning. [image: 1779757422939-lubok-antu-border.jpg] The General Operations Force (PGA) Battalion 10 Sibu Intelligence Unit conducted the raid around 3:30am along an ungazetted route in Ensawang, Lubok Antu. Among those held were 12 foreign nationals — including two children — and a 27-year-old local man believed to be acting as a 'land skipper' (tekong darat). Police tracked two vehicles used to transport the foreign nationals. The local man was driving a four-wheel-drive, while a second sedan was driven by a foreign national carrying others without valid travel documents. Authorities seized two vehicles, an outboard boat engine, and two mobile phones linked to the smuggling operation. The case is being investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007 and the Immigration Act 1959/63. This latest operation highlights ongoing issues along Sarawak's border routes, where smugglers continue to use ungazetted pathways to bypass checkpoints. Location: Lubok Antu-Badau border, Sarawak Source: DayakDaily What do you think?