Penang: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) in Penang thwarted an attempt to smuggle in 125 tonnes of copper scrap worth more than RM5 million at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) on July 22. State JKDM director Datuk Rohizad Ali disclosed that all the goods were found following an inspection of five containers that arrived from Thailand.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, investigations revealed that the goods were declared as used electronic components in the Customs forms. The inspection uncovered 125 tonnes of copper scrap valued at RM5.29 million. Rohizad Ali, during a press conference at the Bagan Jermal Enforcement Storage Facility, stated that three individuals, aged between 40 and 60, including a woman who owns the company and an agent, were detained to assist in the investigation.

The imported scrap metal is classified as a prohibited import item and falls under Item 5, Fourth Schedule Part I, Customs (Prohibition on Imports) Order 2023, which necessitates a permit from SIRIM Bhd. In a separate incident, Rohizad mentioned that a raid was conducted at a house in Padang Serai, Kedah, where 438,824 cigarettes and 1,377.6 litres of various brands of liquor were seized.

The raid, executed earlier this month by a team from the Penang Enforcement Operations Unit, was based on intelligence about the premises suspected to be a storage facility for prohibited imports. The inspection revealed 438,824 sticks of cigarettes and 1,377.6 litres of liquor, valued at RM168,395, with the duty involved estimated to be RM366,444.

Both cases continue to be investigated under Section 135(1)(d) and Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.