GOF seizes RM1.135m in gold‑mining equipment in Kuala Betis raid; suspect allegedly misused sand‑extraction permit

GOF seizes RM1.135m in gold‑mining equipment in Kuala Betis raid; suspect allegedly misused sand‑extraction permit



The General Operations Force (GOF) arrested 15 individuals and seized various mining equipment worth RM449,000 during Ops Gali Mega (Eastern Zone) in Bukit Kor, Marang August 20, 2026. — Bernama pic

Summary

• The General Operations Force seized equipment worth RM1.135 million used for illegal gold mining and arrested four men, including a Chinese national, in Gua Musang.
• Operation Gali Mega by the Southeast Brigade uncovered excavators and mining equipment, with a misused sand extraction permit involved.
• No gold was found, and the case is under investigation, with seized equipment handed to the Kelantan Land and Mines Office.

First Published: Sunday, 23 Aug 2026 1:47 PM MYT


GUA MUSANG, Aug 23 — The General Operations Force (GOF) seized equipment worth RM1.135 million believed to have been used for illegal gold mining and arrested four men, including a Chinese national, in a raid at the Kuala Betis Resettlement Scheme (RPS) here yesterday.

Southeast Brigade commander SAC Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the raid, conducted at about 4pm, was carried out by the brigade’s intelligence team under Ops Gali Mega (Eastern Zone).


He said checks at the site uncovered two excavators, sluice boxes, suction machines, generator sets each, 51 pieces of grass carpet in various sizes and three rolls of grass carpet, all believed to have been used in the gold mining operation.


“One of the suspects produced a copy of an application for a permit to extract sand from Sungai Nenggiri, Mukim Kuala Betis, dated January 31, 2024. Preliminary checks found that the permit was believed to have been misused to carry out gold mining activities,” he said in a statement today.


Ahmad Radzi said no minerals or raw gold were found at the site, and the case is being investigated under Section 158 of the Enactment of Minerals (Kelantan) 2001.


He said all the seized equipment had been handed over to the Kelantan Land and Mines Office for further action. — Bernama