In hot water: Hamisan (middle) showing the seized induction cookers during the press conference at the State Customs Enforcement Complex in Prai yesterday.
BUTTERWORTH: Penang Customs foiled an attempt to smuggle 7.9 million sticks of cigarettes worth RM630,400 with unpaid duties amounting to RM5mil.
Its director Hamisan Kalip said following a public tip-off, an enforcement team assisted by the Port Klang Container Control Unit raided a container in Port Klang, Selangor, on Nov 22.
He said initial investigations showed the importer had given a false description in the declaration form.
“The company declared the goods in the container as towels, plastic film, ceramic dishes and wet wipes.
“But investigations found the ceramic dishes, wet wipes and cigarettes did not have import permits,” he told reporters at the state Customs enforcement complex in Prai near here yesterday.
Hamisan said the container was handled by a Kuala Lumpur-based shipping company with a branch in Port Klang.
He said the trade came from China, adding that an investigation was in progress to track down the suspect involved in the smuggling activity.
He added that the container had been brought to the enforcement division complex for further investigations.
He also said the case was being investigated under Sections 135(1)(a) and 135(1)(g) of the Customs Act 1967 for import without a valid permit and evading duties and transporting prohibited goods, respectively.
The case was also being probed under Section 74(1) (e) of the Excise Act 1976 for evasion of excise on imported goods.
In an unrelated development, a team from the Customs enforcement division raided a container at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) at about 4pm on Oct 21.
Hamisan said upon inspection, the raiding party found 1,300 units of induction cookers worth RM910,000 with unpaid duties amounting to RM291,200.
He said investigations showed the products were imported from China by a local company based in central Seberang Prai.
“A 54-year-old man who was detained earlier to assist in investigations has since been released on bail.
“He declared the trade as 32 different parts of the induction cooker that had yet to be assembled as these declared items would benefit from full tax exemption and do not require an import licence,” he added.
