SUNGAI SIPUT — The Perak Department of Environment (DOE) made its largest seizure in five years – RM1.3 billion – in a raid on an illegal e-waste processing plant here.
With the help of the Ulu Kinta General Operations Force (GOF), the factory on Jalan Sungai Siput-Kuala Kangsar was dismantled yesterday, and various items amounting to RM1.3 billion, including machinery, were seized, Bernama reports.
Drone surveillance had been conducted for a month over the area where the factory operated on a 4.8 ha plot for the last nine months, GOF Northern Brigade Commander SAC Shahrum Hashim said.
“The seizure involved over 1,000 jumbo bags, each weighing one metric tonne, with an estimated total value of RM1.6 million.
“The bags contained various e-waste materials, including copper, tin and aluminium,” Bernama reported him saying at a press conference today.
The e-waste is believed to have been imported from countries such as Bolivia, Thailand, Oman, India and the United States for processing at the factory before being re-exported for various uses.
Perak DOE deputy director Muhamad Rizal Ramli said the factory committed two offences under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, namely operating without a licence and lacking approval for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report.
The e-waste samples would be sent to the Department of Chemistry Malaysia for analysis to determine their composition before any legal action is taken.
Of the 27 people detained in the raid, 14 are China nationals, one of whom is a scientist, New Straits Times said in its report.
Another two detained were Malaysians, who are believed to be the factory owner and supervisor.
Others were 10 Myanmar nationals and a two year-old child believed to be the offspring of a Myanmar worker.
The foreigners have been handed over to the Immigration Department for action under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Last July, Malaysia began enforcing heavier fines on for the illegal import of e-waste.
The previous maximum fine was raised from RM500,000 to RM10 million under the Environmental quality Act 1974. – February 16, 2025