SEPANG: Three smuggling cases involving various items including drugs, iron rods and electrical vehicles with a total value of seizures and duties estimated at RM2.508mil were foiled at KL International Airport.
Customs Department KLIA branch director Zulkifli Muhammad said the cases involved the seizure of cannabis buds and cocaine weighing 16.057kg, iron weighing 145,281 kg and 21 units of three-wheeled electric vehicles (EVs) and e-bikes.
On the first case, he said the Kuala Lumpur Customs enforcement division operations team detained and seized three packages believed to contain cannabis and cocaine that were being exported separately to two European countries.
“Two packages containing cannabis buds weighing 16kg, estimated to value at RM1.408mil were seized on Jan 5.
“Another package containing 57gm of cocaine valued at RM11,400 was confiscated on Jan 28,” he said at a press conference, Bernama reported.
Zulkifli said the syndicate’s modus operandi was to use mail and courier services and declare the packages as gifts.
For the second case, six containers carrying iron rods of various sizes were detained at Port Klang on Jan 19.
The goods are estimated to be worth RM683,164 with total duties and taxes amounting to RM200,136.
“The iron rods are believed to have been imported without a valid permit from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB),” Zulkifli said.
On the seizure of EVs on Jan 28, he said raids were carried out on three premises in Sentul and Petaling Jaya, suspected of selling three-wheeled EVs and e-bikes without valid import permits.
A total of 21 EVs and e-bikes with an estimated value of RM122,101 involving duties and taxes of RM83,028 were seized.
Zulkifli said the sales were conducted online with direct delivery to buyers to avoid detection by authorities.
