Sinar Harian reported that the suspects were believed to be involved in counter-setting activities to facilitate the syndicate’s movements at border entry points.

The ministry’s Kelantan director Azman Ismail said the operation, which involved three separate raids with marine police around Kota Bharu and Pasir Puteh, started at 7.05pm.

He said the raids saw the discovery of over 11 tonnes of cooking oil in a Toyota Vellfire, a four-wheel-drive and two lorries, with the seizure of assets worth RM482,225.

“The syndicate’s 28-year-old leader, called ‘Datuk John’, has been wanted since 2023 for involvement in at least three cases in Pasir Mas.

“The two civil servants, aged 27 and 41, are believed to have aided the syndicate at inspection counters to facilitate the crossing of vehicles carrying subsidised cooking oil across the border,” he said today.

Azman said the syndicate had transferred the cooking oil from the lorries to the Vellfire for transport through the Rantau Panjang or Sungai Golok immigration checkpoints to be smuggled into Thailand.

“The oil is believed to have been brought from Negeri Sembilan and Selangor to Kelantan,” he said, adding that the suspects were brought to court today for remand orders.

“All of them have been remanded for four days until Monday for further investigations. The case is being investigated under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 for the unlawful possession of controlled articles, he said.