Malaysia Thwarts The Smuggling Of Plants From Thailand Worth IDR 199.8 Million, 3 Couriers Arrested

Illustration of ornamental plants. (Vadim Kaipov-Unsplash)

JAKARTA - At least two separate smuggling attempts involving ornamental plants and other plants from Thailand to Malaysia were worth more than RM900,000. Or around Rp199.8 million were thwarted by Malaysian officials.

The Commander of the Southeast Brigade of the Malaysian General Operations Forces (GOF), Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid, said the first smuggling was thwarted through his operations on Thursday this week.

The GOF team stopped a truck driven by a suspicious man during an operation that took place in the Pepuyu Auction area, Tanah Merah, Malaysia.

At around 17.30 p.m., a 25-year-old man, believed to be a courier, was detained. The truck contains 1,500 types of seeds believed to have been smuggled from Thailand," Hamid said, quoted from Bernama, Sunday, January 19.

"All plants are filled with mushrooms and pests," he continued.

He said it was estimated that the value of the confiscated goods, including vehicles, reached RM215,000. This case is being investigated based on Article 5 of the 1976 Plant Quarantine Law (Law 167).

Meanwhile, the second smuggling was thwarted in the Chabang Empat Tumpat area in the early hours of Friday.

This time the GOF Team intercepted a truck carrying 3,800 orchid seeds of various types and two bamboo pegs. The plants are thought to have entered Malaysia from Thailand without valid documents.

Azhan stated that in the second prevention operation, as many as two men aged 37 and 34 were believed to have acted as couriers.

The estimated value of the confiscated goods, including vehicles, is RM720,300. This case is being investigated under the 1976 Plant Quarantine Law (Law 167)," he said.