BANTING — Police have not ruled out the possibility that illegal electronic waste (e-waste) processing operations raided under Op Hazard nationwide are linked to organised crime syndicates, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said that while investigations initially focused on offences under the Firearms Act 1960, police now expect to uncover a larger criminal network.
“Police are looking into potential links to organised crime or threats to national security. I will leave it to their expertise to determine the direction of the investigation,” he said.
Saifuddin was speaking after inspecting an illegal e-waste processing site in Teluk Panglima Garang today. The premises were raided during Op Hazard on February 15, leading to the discovery of nearly 50 tonnes of shell casings, bullets, and live ammunition.
He said investigations are ongoing, and intelligence reports indicate that more illegal e-waste processing facilities remain in operation and are now under scrutiny.
“I received a preliminary briefing from (Selangor police chief) Datuk Hussein Omar Khan at Bukit Aman two days ago, and the investigation is progressing well.
“However, I will not disclose any findings at this stage to avoid compromising the case,” he said.
Saifuddin added that police are tracking down a foreign national believed to be one of the owners of the illegal operations. Authorities have also confirmed that the total value of seizures from these raids since last year stands at an estimated RM3.9 billion.
He noted that Malaysia’s environmental laws only permit the processing of domestically sourced waste, with over 50 licences issued for such activities.
“However, if the waste originates from abroad, it falls outside legal provisions, making these e-waste processing operations illegal,” he said. — March 6, 2025