KUALA LUMPUR: Approximately 24 tonnes of frozen pork worth RM180,000 from Australia were seized after a smuggling attempt was foiled by the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis).
Selangor Maqis director Mohd Sobri Md Hashim said the smuggled meat was detected following an inspection of a container at Port Klang on Wednesday (May 24).
"The container transporting the frozen pork did not meet import permit regulations set by Maqis as the importer failed to disclose any relevant labels on the packages and had infringed on import permit regulations," he said in a statement on Saturday (May 27).
Mohd Sobri said the importer had committed offences under Section 15(1) of the Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011.
"It carries a fine of not more than RM100,000, a jail term of not more than six months or both upon conviction.
“We always ensure imported agricultural products are from a certified source so that the food brought into the country is disease free and of high-quality," he said.
