Kuala lumpur: The Selangor Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) has foiled attempts to smuggle four types of commodities-cigarettes, vehicles, steel coils, and liquor-worth RM26.24 million, inclusive of duties and taxes. Its director, Mohamad Azhar Ahmad Paharazi, stated that the seizures occurred under Operation Fortex Trident, conducted around Port Klang and Shah Alam from October to early November this year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, during raids at the West Port Free Zone on October 29 and November 4, the department seized more than 28.8 million sticks of white cigarettes from three 40-foot transshipment containers falsely declared as garments. The inspection of the first container revealed 10 million sticks of white cigarettes declared as clothing, while the second and third containers uncovered 18.81 million sticks. The estimated value of the cigarettes is RM3,705,200, with duties and taxes amounting to RM19,798,940.
In cases involving imported vehicles, Mohamad Azhar stated that three petrol-powered vehicles and two electric vehicles (EVs), with a total value of RM1.02 million, were seized in two raids in Port Klang and the Port Klang Free Zone warehouse on October 17 and 25. The vehicles were stored beyond the permitted period in licensed warehouses, with unpaid duties and taxes. The luxury vehicles, including a BMW and Porsche, were used cars, while the EVs were new models believed to be imported without import permits issued by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 for concealing, storing, or harbouring uncustomed or prohibited goods, while the EV case is under Section 135(1)(a) of the same Act for importing prohibited goods.
Mohamad Azhar added that the same operation led to the seizure of 28 steel coils weighing 108,874 kilograms from four 20-foot containers at the North Port Free Zone on October 22. Investigations revealed that the commodities were imported without import permits from MITI and were subject to anti-dumping duties of 52.10 per cent, with the total value of the seizure amounting to RM909,642, including taxes and anti-dumping duties.
Meanwhile, in the same operation, JKDM seized various alcoholic beverages worth RM807,646, including duties and taxes, following raids and inspections at a duty-free shop, a free zone warehouse, and a premise in Shah Alam. The first raid at a duty-free shop in West Port on October 30 uncovered 1,573.4 litres of various types of alcoholic beverages with unpaid duties and taxes, and the shop's license was found to have expired. The second raid on October 14 and November 4 at a free zone warehouse in North Port uncovered 16 pallets of wooden crates containing 2,562 litres of various types of alcoholic beverages falsely declared as salad dressing and stools. A subsequent raid on a retail shop in Shah Alam uncovered 752.11 litres of alcoholic beverages believed to have been imported without an import permit. All three cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 for importing prohibited goods without an import permit.