49 tonnes of frozen pork, chicken seized at unlicensed Kulai plant

KULAI: The General Operations Force (GOF) seized 49,048kg of frozen pork and chicken worth more than RM2.5 million during a raid on an unlicensed processing facility in the Sri Kulai Industrial Area yesterday.

The 7am raid, conducted under Op Salju Mega, was carried out by a team from the GOF's Central Brigade 5th Battalion following a public tip-off.

Central Brigade commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Awang Arfian Awang Bujang said nine of the 11 people at the premises were arrested, including its 30-year-old local owner and eight workers, one of whom was a Myanmar woman.

The workers were aged between 30 and 38.

He said investigations found that the premises had been operating for two years without a business licence to store and process frozen food.

"The premises were believed to have sourced raw meat from China, Thailand and Brazil, as well as local suppliers, before processing and selling the products to non-Muslim traders in the district," he said in a press conference.

Awang Arfian said inspections also found unhygienic conditions that failed to meet required standards, with pork and chicken stored and handled together.

The seizure comprised 42,520kg of frozen pork and 6,528kg of chicken, as well as two lorries, a car, a forklift and various meat-processing and cutting equipment.

The case is being investigated under the Food Act, the Trade, Business and Industrial Licensing By-laws, and the Immigration Act.