MELAKA: The Melaka Customs Department successfully busted seven smuggling attempts, involving seizures worth RM1.2 million, between July and yesterday (Sept 16).
Its director Nadzri Che Ani said that all the smuggling activities involved the seizures of tax-unpaid goods, such as liquor, a luxury car, drugs, tin powder, cigarettes and tobacco, in raids in Melaka and the neighbouring states.
He said that among the rare seizures obtained was 5,000 kilogrammes (kg) of tin powder, with a value including tax amounting to RM450,000, which was ferried by a lorry when it was detained in Mersing, Johor, at about 9 am on Aug 17.
“The tin powder is believed to have been smuggled from Indonesia, using a boat near Mersing, to be sold to the tin-related manufacturing industry.
“When an inspection was carried out on the lorry, the driver and his assistant, in their 30s and 40s, failed to produce documents proving that the tin powder had been taxed, and both of them were detained for further investigation,“ he said at a press conference here, today.
Additionally, a total of 4,015 kg of tobacco powder, worth RM77,088 including tax, was also seized during an inspection involving a container, at the Northport in Klang, Selangor, at about 1 pm on Sept 3.
He said that, initially, the representative of the container delivery agent company declared the goods as food products, but further inspection found the prohibited merchandise.
Nadzri added that the tobacco powder, wrapped in transparent plastic, was stored in 803 large boxes, and hidden behind other items to avoid detection by the authorities.
The representative of the delivery agent company, in his 30s, has been detained for further investigation, and the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.
Commenting further, he said that a Lotus car, worth RM531,960 including tax, was also seized, at a shopping centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, at about 12 noon on July 17.
He said that the white luxury vehicle, believed to have been smuggled from Singapore, had been hidden in the parking lot of the shopping centre building for the past three months before the seizure.
