Police target illegal factories, detain 205 people, and widen scrutiny on tax violations
Malaysia has launched one of its largest enforcement actions yet against illegal e-waste activity, signaling a tougher national push against environmental crime, undocumented labor, and unlicensed industrial operations.
Malaysia Launches Major E-Waste Sweep
The Royal Malaysia Police, through the Internal Security and Public Order Department, launched Op Hazard 3.0 on April 6 to dismantle illegal e-waste management operators nationwide. The operation immediately produced large-scale results, with more than 110 premises raided across the country, including e-waste processing factories, scrap metal yards, and other unlawful sites.
Bukit Aman General Operations Force deputy director Datuk Mohamad Suzrin Mohamad Rodhi said the crackdown was designed to stop illegal processing activities that have been spreading across multiple regions. By 6 p.m. on the first day alone, authorities had already uncovered a network of operators linked to unlicensed waste handling and suspicious industrial activity.
RM55.23 Million Worth of Goods Seized
The enforcement action led to seizures valued at an estimated RM55.23 million. Authorities confiscated 316 tonnes of e-waste worth RM23.68 million, 388 tonnes of scrap metal valued at RM2.53 million, and another nine tonnes of related items estimated at RM29.01 million. Local authorities also issued RM82,450 in fines against illegal premises during the raids.
These figures show the scale of the underground trade. The seizure volume suggests that illegal e-waste operations are not isolated, but part of a broader commercial chain involving processing, storage, and possible export activity tied to valuable recovered materials.
Arrests Include Locals, Foreign Workers, and Undocumented Migrants
Police said 205 individuals were arrested during the operation. Those detained included 39 locals, 66 legal foreign nationals, and 100 undocumented migrants. In total, 729 individuals were checked, consisting of 154 locals and 575 foreigners, while 14 illegal factories remain under further investigation.
The arrests indicate that the crackdown extends beyond environmental violations alone. It also touches on immigration compliance, labor practices, and business licensing, making Op Hazard 3.0 a multi-agency operation with wider legal implications.
Klang Valley Emerges as a Key Focus
Although the operation was nationwide, authorities said the day’s raids concentrated heavily on the Klang Valley after intelligence findings and resident reports pointed to a high concentration of illegal e-waste processing facilities there. That focus highlights growing concern over the clustering of unlawful industrial sites near dense urban and industrial zones.
Mohamad Suzrin also joined a raid on a factory suspected of processing waste into aluminum ingots for export to third countries such as China. That detail suggests the illegal trade may stretch beyond domestic recycling violations into cross-border commercial channels involving repackaged industrial outputs.
Multiple Agencies Join the Operation
Op Hazard 3.0 involved 1,611 personnel from the General Operations Force, Police Marine Wing, Federal Reserve Unit, and Unit Wira, along with JKDNKA brigades and several other government bodies. Participating agencies included the Department of Environment, Inland Revenue Board, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Immigration Department, and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation.
The Inland Revenue Board is also scrutinizing 24 companies over possible income tax issues uncovered during the raids. This expands the scope of the crackdown from illegal waste processing to financial compliance and corporate accountability, suggesting authorities are using the operation to expose the full business structure behind these sites.
More Findings May Still Come
Officials said final details, including the total number of raided premises and total arrests, will be announced later this week by Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail. That means the figures released so far may still rise as investigations continue.
The operation’s early results already point to a serious environmental and regulatory enforcement challenge. Illegal e-waste sites often carry risks beyond unlicensed business activity, including toxic exposure, unsafe disposal methods, and weak oversight of imported or exported industrial waste.
Malaysia’s latest e-waste crackdown shows a far more aggressive enforcement posture against illegal waste processing and its wider links to labor, tax, and export violations. The scale of the seizures and arrests suggests authorities are confronting a deeply embedded shadow industry rather than a handful of isolated offenders. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, the case matters because illegal e-waste flows, pollution risks, and cross-border recycling networks do not stop at national borders. Stronger action in Malaysia could reshape regional enforcement standards and put more pressure on neighboring countries to tighten oversight of hazardous waste supply chains.
Sources: The Sun (2026) , Bernama (2026)
Keywords: Op Hazard 3.0, Illegal E-Waste, Mohamad Suzrin Mohamad Rodhi, Royal Malaysia Police, Scrap Metal, Undocumented Migrants
