26/01/2008 (The Star Online), Batu Pahat - A General Operations Force (GOF) team managed to foil an attempt by a trader to smuggle out about 11,200kgs of cooking oil to Indonesia.

The cooking oil, packed in 400 drums each weighing about 28kgs, was seized at a private jetty near Minyak Beku here at about 4pm Friday. Cooking oil is a subsidised and controlled item in Malaysia.

Johor Ops Nyah Satu commanding officer Asst. Supt. Maizali Mohamad said five men, aged between 21 and 48, including an Indonesian, were detained.

He said three personnel from GOF, the paramilitary arm of the Royal Malaysian Police, checked several jetties along Sungai Batu Pahat after receiving a tip-off on Friday.

"We spotted a group of men unloading dirty plastic containers from two lorries to the jetty and investigation showed the containers contained cooking oil.

"Further investigation showed the group was about to load some 400 containers, each containing about 28kgs of cooking oil, onto a trawler," he said here on Friday.

ASP Maizali said the cooking oil, with the total value of RM28,000, was believed to be headed to Indonesia.

He said the seized goods and detainees had been referred to Batu Pahat police for further action.