PETALING JAYA: Six members of a syndicate will be charged in the Alor Setar sessions court on Monday and Tuesday for illegally reducing luxury car duties, causing losses in government taxes of over RM33 million.
The suspects, who are entrepreneurs and luxury car storage warehouse service runners in Langkawi, were arrested in a special operation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in July last year.
In a statement today, MACC said they will face more than 21 charges under Sections 468 and 471 of the Penal Code.
“MACC initiated the operation after reduced customs duty collections were recorded from 2012 to 2021 in Langkawi, as highlighted in the 2022 Auditor-General’s Report.
“The report revealed tax losses of over RM72 million involving more than 100 luxury vehicles of various brands such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Bentley, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce.
“Subsequently, MACC conducted its special ‘Op Eagle’ operation, uncovering a syndicate colluding with luxury car owners seeking customs duty exemptions and reductions despite being ineligible,” it said.
MACC said the syndicate had used false sworn affidavits in the vehicle owners’ names which they filed with the customs department.
During the operation, MACC also identified tax losses and corruption at the free trade zone, subsequently tracking 100 luxury cars suspected of evading customs duty.
MACC’s special operations division senior director Azmi Kamaruzaman said the agency is also investigating vehicle owners under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla) for owning and disposing of the proceeds of criminal activity. - FMT
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