Its commander, Hakemal Hawari, said the seizures included 1,400 tonnes of e-waste, scrap materials, and processed end-products with a total estimated value of RM187 million.

A total of 56 migrants from China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, aged between 30 and 50, believed to be employed at the facilities, were also detained.

“Preliminary investigations found that these illegal factories hired workers without valid permits, paying low wages of between RM1,000 and RM1,200 a month. They are believed to have been operating over the past two to three years,” he told a press conference.

He said authorities believe the e-waste was brought in from abroad for processing at the factories, but that none of the owners of the premises, whether local or foreign, have been arrested yet.

The case is being investigated under several laws, including the Environmental Quality Act 1974, Income Tax Act 1967, Immigration Act 1959/63, and Anti-Money Laundering Act.