Customs seizes luxury cars and big bikes without docs

KLANG: The Customs Department has seized 41 luxury vehicles and nine high-powered motorcycles worth over RM11mil.

They were brought into the country without valid import documents.

“Among the vehicles seized were a Ford GT40, a classic Ford Mustang, a Mazda RX7, a Volkswagen Kombi, a Mini Cooper Clubman, a Toyota Harrier and a Toyota Vellfire,” said Customs Department central zone assistant director-general Mohammad Sabri Saad.

He said the high-powered motorcycles included a Harley Davidson, Honda CB1100 and KTM Adventure 1290.

Speaking to reporters at Wisma Kastam in Pulau Indah yesterday, Mohammad Sabri said the vehicles were seized following a special operation named Ops Bearing, which started on Aug 15 to detect vehicles brought into the country without valid documents.

The vehicles were brought in from countries such as Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, he added.

“Based on our investigations, some of these vehicles were brought in by students.

“They might not have been aware that they needed to have an approved permit before bringing the vehicle in,” he said, adding that ignorance of the law was no excuse, however.

He said the vehicles seized were worth at least RM4.24mil with RM7.12mil in unpaid duties.

Investigations have begun under Section 135 of the Customs Act for attempting to import prohibited items.

In an unrelated case, a 24-year-old Myanmar man has been detained in connection with a car theft in Pandan Perdana and is suspected to be behind several other such cases in Ampang.

Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Farouk Eshak said a man had lodged a report about his stolen Proton Iswara at about 9am on Sunday.

“An investigation led police to a parking lot at Taman Seri Taming in Kajang, where we detained the suspect at about 1am on Monday.

“We also recovered the stolen vehicle,” he said.

The suspect has a record of four previous offences and also tested positive for methamphetamine, ACP Mohamad Farouk added.

“We believe the suspect was involved in several other car thefts in Ampang.”