ALOR SETAR: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) seized 5,000 bottles of zamzam water worth more than RM1.26 million attempted to be smuggled into the country at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex on Feb 13.
Kedah Customs director Nor Izah Abdul Latiff said the zamzam water was seized from a container lorry driven by a Thai man.
“The zamzam water bottles were hidden in the back part of the container while the front part was filled with boxes containing ‘fabric softeners’ to conceal the smuggled items.
“The Malaysian Ministry of Health also confirmed that no distributor or company in Malaysia has been granted a licence to import and sell zamzam water,“ she told a press conference here today.
Meanwhile, Nor Izah said the department also foiled an attempt to smuggle 120 kilogrammes of marijuana worth RM420,000 into the country in a raid at the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority jetty in Sungai Berembang, Kuala Perlis on Thursday.
She also said that throughout last year, as many as 547 investigation papers were opened for various smuggling offences with a value of confiscation of more than RM11.9 million with unpaid duties amounted to more than RM8.19 million.
“As for this year, as of Feb 15, a total of 57 investigation papers were opened under the Customs Act 1967, while two cases were investigated under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 with the total value of the seizure estimated at over RM1 million with unpaid duties estimated at over RM538,000,” she added. – Bernama
