KOTA KINABALU: A businessman has been arrested for suspected tax evasion following Customs inspections of three shipping containers at Sepanggar Port near here.
Sabah Customs assistant director-general Datuk Mohd Nasir Deraman said they also seized around 81 tonnes of frozen chicken worth over RM1mil in the Feb 2 and 8 raids.
The raiding team inspected three containers with contents declared as frozen chicken parts, boneless breast meat, frozen chicken parts and bone-in legs, he added.
The containers, from Thailand, were transported to Kedah by road on Jan 16 and sent on to Port Klang before being shipped to Sabah, he said here on Friday (March 1).
Mohd Nasir said inspection of the consignments found that the forms and other Customs documents required were incorrect, and it was believed that this was done to evade tax.
“The frozen food valued at around RM931,500 with tax of about RM186,300 was confiscated and the company owner was subsequently hauled in to facilitate investigations,” he said.
He urged the public to assist Customs officials in efforts to stop smuggling, especially of items such as cigarettes, alcohol, drugs and vehicles, by reporting any suspected wrongdoing to the authorities.
