KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 16 individuals, including 13 foreigners were detained and RM20.6mil worth of items were seized following a raid on a diesel smuggling syndicate in Johor Baru.

       Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department (KDNKA) director Comm Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali said the raid was conducted by the marine police at Johor Port in Pasir Gudang on Dec 25.

       "We detained three locals and 13 foreign crew members.

       "We also seized 138,270 litres of subsidised diesel, a lorry tanker, a cargo ship, two pump flow meters, two fuel pumps and 13 passports," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 30).

       All the items were worth about RM20.6mil, Comm Hazani said.

       "We are committed to working with relevant agencies to ensure that the country's assets are not exploited by criminals," he said.