Cops well aware of excuses to try and get a travel pass
JOHOR BARU: Various tactics are being used by people attempting to cross state borders, says Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Comm Datuk Seri Abd Rahim Jaafar.
“We understand the public’s sentiment. Some are upset as they have to be stuck for hours at police road blocks but we are just doing our part to break the chain of Covid-19.
“We do not want people to get away with giving false reasons for crossing state borders. All kinds of tactics and methods have been used to travel beyond the limits allowed under the movement control order, including using work passes to go home for Hari Raya.
“Hence, we have to be more thorough at these road blocks to ensure that they do not get away with the deceptions,” he said in a press conference here in Taman Desa Idaman, Senai yesterday.
Also present was Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
He said this in response to complaints about the slow crawl at several places where road blocks were in place.
He added that special lanes have been allocated at the road blocks for industrial vehicles that are ferrying essential goods.
He also noted that some 100,000 compound notices have been issued by the authorities nationwide for various Covid-19 standard operating procedure violations since March last year.
“The most common offences were not wearing face masks and failing to practice social distancing.
Compounds were also issued to those attempting to cross state borders with invalid reasons,” he said.
On a separate matter, Comm Abd Rahim said 93 barrels of counterfeit alcohol and 5,419 bottles of untaxed alcohol amounting to RM9.5mil were seized in a raid here.
He said the raid was held at a shophouse at Taman Desa Idaman in Senai at around 6am on Monday following a tip-off.
“Two individuals, a local and a Myanmar national, who are 25 and 35 years old, were also arrested during the raid.
He added that the shophouse was believed to be the processing centre of the fake alcohol, which was produced for the local market.
“The two suspects arrested were workers and we believe that there are more suspects involved in the activity.
“Investigations are ongoing under Section 135(1) of the Customs Act 1967 and Section 76 of the Excise Act 1976,” he said, adding that the activity at the building is believed to have been going on for between two and three years.