SEREMBAN: The Customs Department has crippled two contraband syndicates, seizing cigarettes and alcoholic beverages worth some RM13.4mil in separate operations in Selangor.
Negri Sembilan Customs director Mohammad Hafiz Ishak said in the first operation at around noon on Feb 26, they inspected three containers at Northport in Klang.
Inside, they found 97,200 cans of beer and 30,392 bottles of liquor of various brands worth some RM3.2mil, including unpaid duties.
"The syndicate would smuggle the contraband into the country and sell it at a cheaper price locally. We are also probing if the consignment is to be taken to a third country from Northport," he said, adding that the containers were believed to have been shipped in from ports in the Middle East and the Far East.
He said a person believed to be the importer and an agent, both in their 40s, were detained.
Mohamad Hafiz said in the second operation at around 4pm on March 1, his men seized five containers and two lorries from premises in Pandamaran.
He said upon checking, they found 591,000 packets of cigarettes, 51,936 cans of beer and 5,576 bottles of liquor worth some RM10.2mil, inclusive of unpaid duties.
"All the items seized did not have tax stamps and we believe these were illegally brought in.
"We also seized the lorries and the containers as part of our investigation," he said.
Mohamad Hafiz said three suspects, including the owner of the premises and two foreigners aged between 30 and 50 years, were detained as well.
"We are also investigating if both cases are connected," he said.
The cases would be probed under Sections 135(1)(d) and 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967 for non-payment of duties.
Those convicted could be fined between 10 and 20 times the value of the goods or between RM100,000 and RM500,000, whichever is higher, or jailed between six months and five years, or both.
He said the first case was also being investigated under Rule 30(1) of the Free Zone Regulations 1991 for failure to obtain the necessary permits to bring in goods.
"I would also like to appeal to the public to help Customs combat such activities as this not only causes the country to lose revenue but is also a threat to national security and the people's well-being," he said.
Anyone with information may call the Customs toll-free line at 1-800-88-8855 to report such activities.
