KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — The Central Brigade General Operations Force (GOF) has dismantled illegal electronic waste (e-waste) processing activities in 14 premises across Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Johor under the integrated operations, dubbed Ops Hazard 3.0, on Monday.
Central Brigade GOF commander SAC Hakemal Hawari said the seizures included 1,400 tonnes of e-waste, scrap materials and processed end-products, with a total estimated value of RM187 million.
A total of 56 foreign workers from China, Myanmar and Bangladesh, aged between 30 and 50, believed to be employed at the facilities, were also detained.
“Preliminary investigations found that these illegal factories hired workers without valid permits, paying low wages of between RM1,000 and RM1,200 a month. They are believed to have been operating over the past two to three years,” he told a press conference here today.
He said authorities believe the e-waste was brought in from abroad for processing at the factories, but no owners of the premises, whether local or foreign, have been arrested so far.
According to Hakemal, raids were carried out at 10 locations in Selangor and two each in Negeri Sembilan and Johor, with the involvement of multiple agencies, including the Police Air Wing, the Bukit Aman Anti-Money Laundering Unit, the Department of Environment (DOE), local authorities and the Inland Revenue Board.
The case is being investigated under several laws, including the Environmental Quality Act 1974, the Income Tax Act 1967, the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Anti-Money Laundering Act. — Bernama