Contraband haul: Rohaizad (centre) with his officers and the seized contraband at the Bagan Jermal Enforcement Storage Facility in Butterworth. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
BUTTERWORTH: A man and a woman have been arrested for possessing prohibited fireworks at two locations here.
Penang Customs director Rohaizad Ali said an enforcement team first raided a premises at an industrial area in Seberang Jaya at 10.40am on Jan 24.
“The team found 718 cartons, or 1,510kg, of not only fireworks, but firecrackers there as well,” he told a press conference at the Bagan Jermal Enforcement Storage Facility yesterday.
Rohaizad said investigations showed the fireworks and firecrackers did not meet the specifications and guidelines set in the import permits issued by the Home Ministry.
A woman in her 50s, believed to be the premises owner, was detained.
Rohaizad reported that the value of the confiscated firecrackers and fireworks amounted to RM127,397.26; however, after the addition of taxes, the total reached RM197,465.77.
At another raid in Simpang Ampat at central Seberang Perai, Rohaizad said the Customs Department found 468 cartons, or 6,308kg, of prohibited fireworks in a storage facility.
“We arrested a man, believed to be the premises owner, also in his 50s,” he said.
The seizure at the second location was valued at RM151,816.30, including RM97,946 in taxes.
Both cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
