KLANG: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has foiled multiple smuggling attempts involving prohibited goods valued at over RM10 million.
Selangor Customs director Mohamad Azhar Ahmad Paharazi said operations conducted since August targeted syndicates using false declarations at free trade zones.
The seized commodities included cigars, LED display panels, rice and electronic cigarettes with nicotine liquid.
“Initial investigations found that the container arrived at Port Klang on July 18 and the goods are believed to have originated from an Asian country,“ he said during a press conference at Wisma Kastam in Pulau Indah.
In the first operation on August 1, authorities detained a 40-foot container at West Port Free Zone containing 8,750kg of cigars.
The RM6.06 million shipment was falsely declared as beverages to avoid import permit requirements.
On August 5, customs seized two containers at North Port Free Zone holding 480 LED display panels worth RM2.52 million.
These goods were declared as display panels and hardware accessories despite requiring Energy Commission permits.
Another operation on August 28 uncovered 19,000kg of rice valued at RM106,400 in a 20-foot container at West Port Free Zone.
The rice shipment was falsely declared as ammonium sulfate to bypass Padiberas Nasional Berhad permit requirements.
Subsequent intelligence led to a September 9 seizure of 30,000 electronic cigarettes and 900,000ml of nicotine liquid worth RM1.32 million.
These goods required Health Ministry import permits but were declared as storage boxes.
All cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 for importing prohibited goods.
The syndicates operated using similar methods at both West Port Free Zone and North Port Free Zone locations. – Bernama
