KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Police have crippled a major illegal frozen food syndicate in Kajang, seizing 167 tonnes of products worth RM12.4 million and arresting five individuals.
The syndicate is suspected of using a legitimate business as a front to distribute uncertified imported frozen goods, including allegedly adulterated halal items.
The operation was led by the Royal Malaysia Police’s Internal Security and Public Order Department (KDNKA).
In a press conference today, KDNKA director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the raid targeted a premises that had been operating for approximately four years.
“During the operation, police arrested one local man and four Myanmar nationals aged between 21 and 43 who were believed to be employed at the premises,” he said.
Mohd Yusri revealed that the syndicate allegedly used a company registered for cold storage and logistics as a cover.
However, the facility was found to be operating without the proper licences required for frozen food storage and inspection under the Animals Act 1953.
The syndicate was believed to have used the business to distribute imported frozen products that were not properly certified, while also allegedly mixing halal and non-halal items, Mohd Yusri said.
The seized goods included 4,840 cartons of carcass products, 410 cartons of imported chicken wings, and 115 cartons of duck products. The possible source countries for the products were identified as China, Brazil, and Argentina.
Investigations are ongoing to identify the full extent of the network, including its masterminds and distribution channels, which could include restaurants and supermarkets nationwide.
From January 1 to May 15 this year, KDNKA has recorded 88 cases involving seizures worth RM157.3 million.
Under the specific “Op Taring Chiller,” eight cases have resulted in seizures totaling RM15.1 million.