Melaka customs seized liquor and fireworks worth RM1.64 million in three raids, targeting goods believed destined for Chinese New Year sales.
MELAKA: The Melaka branch of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department has seized alcoholic beverages, firecrackers and fireworks worth RM1.64 million.
The contraband, believed destined for Chinese New Year sales, involved RM1.35 million in unpaid taxes.
State Customs director Roslan Yusoff said the items were seized in three separate raids outside Melaka last month.
The operations followed public tip-offs and intelligence gathering.
In the latest case on Jan 19, officers confiscated 4,742kg of firecrackers and fireworks from a warehouse in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.
The warehouse belonged to a company licensed under the Explosives Act 1957.
Inspections found firecrackers and fireworks that did not comply with specifications approved by the Home Ministry.
“The unapproved items were stored inside the warehouse and hidden beneath other explosives that had received KDN approval, in an attempt to mislead enforcement officers,” Roslan said.
The seized fireworks are estimated at RM156,486, including unpaid taxes.
A local man in his 30s, who manages the warehouse, was detained to assist investigations.
In a raid on Jan 16, officers seized assorted liquor worth an estimated RM882,369 from a warehouse in Puchong, Selangor.
The alcoholic beverages, bearing the marking “MDNP” (Malaysia Duty Not Paid), were found in a bonded lorry and three containers.
Roslan said locally manufactured liquor marked “MDNP” is only permitted for sale in free zones or duty-free islands.
It cannot be marketed in principal customs areas.
A warehouse manager in his 40s was also detained to assist investigations in that case.
In another raid on Jan 14, liquor with “MDNP” markings worth RM559,511.90 was seized from an abandoned house in Muar, Johor.
“Customs officers conducted surveillance for five hours and observed no movement before raiding the premises at about 2 pm, where the liquor were discovered,” he said.
Roslan added that JKDM recorded 131 cases last year with total seizures exceeding RM30 million.
This compares with 117 cases involving more than RM26 million in 2024.
