KOTA KINABALU: Customs officials seized more than RM16.6mil worth of smuggled goods in three separate raids in May.
The raids from May 14 to 29 saw frozen chicken, rice and alcohol confiscated at Sepanggar Port.
Sabah Customs deputy director-general Siti Mang said that in the first raid on May 14, officials inspected a total of 33 shipping containers and found 659,856 litres of alcoholic beverages of various brands inside.
“They are worth RM3.97mil, with the unpaid duty and tax estimated at RM11.86mil,” she told a press conference here on Tuesday (June 10).
On May 16, a container was raided, leading to the discovery of 28 tonnes of frozen chicken without import permits, valued at around RM326,760 including tax.
Siti said the third raid on May 29 saw 150 tonnes of rice and glutinous rice being confiscated.
“(The rice was) valued RM498,750 including tax,” she said, adding that all the contraband seized had been declared as other goods during shipping.
Siti said the cases are being investigated under the Customs Act 1967.
“Smuggling of any sort causes economic losses to the country and poses a security threat," she said.
She urged anyone with information on smuggling activities to inform the Customs Department at 1-800-88-8855, and said informants' identities would be kept confidential.
