RM1m coffee haul seized: GOF nabs 15,000 seedlings, lorry in Tanah Merah

Last night, the General Operations Force (GOF) made a significant seizure in Tanah Merah, detaining 15,000 robusta coffee seedlings and a lorry valued at RM1 million during a roadblock at Lalang Pepuyu. SAC Ahmad Radzi Hussain, commander of the GOF Southeast Brigade, revealed that a 27-year-old man was driving the lorry at 11.30pm during the operation.

Upon inspecting the lorry's cargo, authorities discovered 15,000 robusta coffee seedlings, believed to have been smuggled from Thailand. The total value of the haul was estimated at RM1 million, with the lorry valued at RM250,000 and the coffee seedlings at RM750,000.

A preliminary investigation showed that the man had procured the seedlings from an illegal jetty in Lalang Pepuyu, intending to deliver them to a nursery in Johor for a sum of RM300 per delivery. All the seedlings were turned over to the Kota Baru Agriculture Department for further examination, as they are suspected of harboring pests.

Ahmad Radzi stated that the seedlings would undergo inspection before being disposed of, and if confirmed, a fine could be imposed for the pest-related offense. The case is currently being investigated under the Plant Quarantine Act 1976.