KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), in collaboration with the Department of Environment (DOE), has cracked down on illegal e-waste processing operations nationwide, with seizures amounting to RM3.8 billion between Jan 1, 2024 and Feb 17, 2025.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim said the seizures included weighing machines and tin processing equipment.

According to him, the operation, which involved the General Operations Force, Wildlife Crime Bureau/Special Investigation Intelligence, Marine Police, the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), and the DOE, resulted in the arrest of 538 individuals, including children as young as two years old and others aged up to 60, across 90 cases.

“This e-waste operation was carried out in three phases: the first phase from Jan 1, 2024 to Feb 14, 2025, the second phase under Op Hazard on Feb 15, and the third phase from Feb 16 to 17,” he told a press conference in Bukit Aman here today.

Also present was DOE director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar. — Bernama