Cigarettes, alcohol, meat valued at over RM38mil seized

 

The customs department said 42,060,000 cigarettes were seized in raids in Port Klang and Seremban.

SHAH ALAM: The customs department foiled an attempt to smuggle contraband cigarettes, alcohol and frozen meat valued at RM38.58 million, including unpaid duties and taxes, in a series of raids recently.

Its assistant director-general, Mohammad Sabri Saad, said the success in busting the smuggling activities in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan was due to the alertness of the department.

“The entire seizure involved RM5,002,565.60 while unpaid duties and taxes on the items amounted to RM33,587,357.90,” he said in a statement today.

Sabri said his team raided two locations in Port Klang, Selangor, and Taman Ideal Township in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, where 42,060,000 cigarettes worth RM3,364,800 and involving RM28,733,520 in unpaid duties or taxes were seized.

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“The first case on July 14 and July 28 involved four containers in West Port, Port Klang. The result of an inspection found that the containers were loaded with white cigarettes that were suspected to have been brought in without a valid import licence.

“Based on public information and surveillance, a team detained a parked lorry that was suspected to contain prohibited goods on Aug 8. Investigations revealed that there were cigarettes believed to have been smuggled,” he said.

As for alcohol, he said a total of 113,698.92 litres, worth RM941,265.60, were seized and the unpaid duties and taxes amounted to RM4,853,837.90.

Sabri said the seizure of frozen meat was done after an inspection on a 40-foot trailer at the Pandamaran PKNS industrial area, near here.

Upon inspection, 27,860kg of meat worth RM696,500 was found.

“The result of the inspection revealed that the lorry was filled with frozen cow’s lungs brought in without valid import documents,” he said.

He added that his team was investigating the case under Section 135 of the Customs Act 1967. - FMT