JOHOR BARU: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department thwarted separate attempts to smuggle in Zamzam water and vape liquid here last month.
Its Johor director Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi said a 12.2m (40ft) container was flagged and inspected at noon on Aug 5 at the Johor Port Free Zone in Pasir Gudang.
He said similar inspections were also conducted on three 12.2m containers at the same location at 11.30am on Aug 15.
“The four containers were alleged to have carried prohibited items," he said in a statement on Friday (Sept 12).
He said the containers contained cargo believed to be Zamzam water, brought in without an import permit.
Aminul Izmeer said Zamzam water is a prohibited item that requires a licence as per requirements under the Customs (Prohibition on Imports) Order 2023.
“The cargoes were declared as ordinary water, not holy water," he added.
Zamzam water is considered to be holy and blessed in Islam.
Aminul Izmeer said 21,582 bottles of Zamzam water worth RM2.58mil with unpaid excise duty of RM 647,460 were seized.
He added said the case is being investigated under Regulation 30(1) of the Free Zone Regulations 1991.
In a separate case, he said a lorry was detained at 1pm on Aug 6 at the Export Lane of the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex at the Second Link Crossing in Tanjung Kupang, Gelang Patah.
He said suspicious items were detected after the lorry passed through the Customs Border Management (CBM) scanner.
"Items (on board) were declared as 84 loops of automotive wire," he said, adding that an enforcement team discovered 256 boxes of vape liquid pods hidden behind the lorry driver's seat.
He said 7,680 pods were seized worth RM46,080, with unpaid taxes and duty totalling RM9,676.
“The lorry driver has been detained to assist with the investigation," he said, adding the case is being investigated under Section 133(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.
