Its minister, Armizan Mohd Ali, said the raids were conducted on a house in Taman Kajang and a business premises in Bandar Rinching, Semenyih.

He said 11 foreign men, aged between 25 and 45, were nabbed at the first location and four Malaysian men, aged 28 to 36, at the second.

The Kajang magistrates’ court approved a four-day remand order until Nov 16 for all those arrested.

Armizan said the first raid uncovered a house suspected of being an illegal storage site where subsidised 1kg cooking oil packets were repackaged before being sent to buyers and used-oil sellers in Semenyih.

The subsidised oil supply is believed to have been sourced from wholesalers in the Klang Valley and other locations, he added.

Armizan said the second raid took place at a business premises involved in the sale and purchase of used cooking oil.

“This establishment operated under the guise of a used-oil business while actually functioning as a collection and distribution hub for cooking oil sold without a valid licence in violation of the Control of Supplies Act 1961,” he said.

He added that 14,340kg of subsidised cooking oil of various brands were seized in both raids, stored in intermediate bulk containers (IBC) and unopened boxes.

“The team also seized equipment used in the illegal operation, such as connecting hoses, motorised pumps, mobile phones and several IBC tanks,” he said.

Armizan said three lorries and a car, with an estimated value of nearly RM430,000, as well as business-related documents were also seized.

“Further investigations are under way under the Control of Supplies Act to identify other individuals or companies involved in this illegal activity and to trace the syndicate’s distribution chain,” he said.

“The ministry will take strict action, including licence suspension or revocation, against any individual or company found guilty of misappropriating subsidised cooking oil.”