JOHOR BAHRU: The 5th Battalion of the Simpang Renggam General Operations Force (GOF) seized a total of 478 boxes containing various types of fireworks worth RM531,950 believed to have been smuggled from a neighbouring country, in raids on two premises, here, and in Muar yesterday.

Its commanding officer, Supt Dimin Awang said the first raid in Taman Pertama Indah, Sungai Abong in Muar at 11 am led to the seizure of 439 boxes of fireworks and the arrest of a 27-year-old local man and a 29-year-old Indonesian man.

He said his team carried out an inspection on a lorry at the premises and found 12 gunny sacks of ball-type firecrackers.

"The estimated value of the confiscated fireworks is RM500,000. The two individuals who were arrested as well as the seized fireworks have been handed over to the Muar district police headquarters (IPD) for further investigations," he said in a statement today.

He said in the second raid conducted in Taman Bukit Kempas here at 6 pm, two local men, aged 37 and 41 were arrested and 39 boxes of fireworks worth RM31,950 were seized.


Dimin said the two individuals involved and the confiscated fireworks have been handed over to the Johor Bharu Utara IPD for further investigations.

He also said the seizure of the illegal items was the biggest haul in Johor, meant to be sold for Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations adding that the two cases were being investigated under the Explosives Act 1975.

-- BERNAMA