Customs officer (L) inspecting the Customs clearance papers for goods being transported in one of the vehicles, during the roadblock operation last night.
Enforcement personnel from the Narcotic Control Bureau searches the handbag belonging to a foreign worker in one of the targeted raids, after suspicious pills were found inside the bag.
The Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) successfully coordinated a massive joint operation in the Tutong District last night, in an extensive effort to prevent and curb crime. Codenamed "Operasi Bersepadu 3", the large-scale operation was led by OCPD Tutong and involved some 142 enforcement personnel from the RBPF, Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), Royal Customs and Excise Department, Tutong Municipal Board, Religious Enforcement Department, Internal Security Department, National Registration and Immigration Department as well as the Land Transport Department.
The operation which began at 9pm was divided into two sectors, namely roadblock inspections and checks on premises in nine locations across the district. In one of the early raids, enforcement personnel from the NCB found pills in a handbag belonging to a foreign worker who claimed they were medicines. Urine tests were also carried out on three foreign women following the raid, all of which turned out negative.
Immigrations enforcement personnel detained 16 foreigners who were unable to produce valid documents on inspection. After further investigation, seven of the 16 were found to have violated the Immigration Act.
On the road, police and other relevant enforcement personnel manning two separate checkpoints along the Tutong Highway and at the main road in Lamunin caught 16 drivers with various road and traffic offences as well as one Customs violation.
In one of the roadblocks, a vehicle was found with an expired road tax in a case that is still under investigation. A meeting held earlier this month on coordinating efforts in combating crime mandated the Royal Brunei Police Force's Operation Department to coordinate with all other relevant enforcement agencies in conducting joint operations, especially during the end-of-year holidays.
The mandate is aimed to enable the Operation Department take an overall view so as to better coordinate and consolidate crime prevention measures through joint operations with other relevant departments.
Police personnel checking the validity of a vehicle road tax
