SANDAKAN: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) here seized 17.5 metric tonnes of subsidised cooking oil in 1kg packages in a raid on an unnumbered premise at Batu 9, Thursday.
KPDNHEP Sandakan Chief Enforcement Officer Azdy John said the seized cooking oil was worth more than RM90,000. He said the controlled items were kept in a store without a KPDNHEP permit or licence.
“The 4.30pm raid was conducted after a week of intelligence gathering. During the raid, a local in his 30s claimed to be the owner of the items,” he said, adding the activity is believed to have been going on for over a year.
“Further inspection of the location found a tanker truck and a ‘skid tank’ used to store the subsidised cooking oil from the cut plastic packages.
“Based on our preliminary investigations, the premise had been turned into an illegal store that did not have a permit or licence to keep the controlled items,” he told a press conference here, Friday.
“The case will be investigated under Section 21 of the Control of Supply Act 1961 for possession of controlled goods with intent to commit an offence and Regulation 3(1) of the Control of Supply Regulations 1974 for conducting controlled goods transactions without a licence.
“It will also be investigated under Section 20(1) of the same Act for storing controlled items in an unauthorised place,” said Azdy.
He warned traders in the district against storing and re-packing subsidised 1kg cooking oil for sale without permission, saying the Ministry will not hesitate to take stern action against those involved.