MELAKA: The Melaka Customs Department has foiled cigarette, liquor and used electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) smuggling activities in four separate cases with RM13.42 seizures, including duties and taxes.
Melaka Customs director Roslan Yusoff said the seizures involved various brands of cigarettes and liquor as well as e-waste detected through several enforcement operations conducted between April and May.
"The biggest success was recorded through the seizure of seven containers carrying 8.82mil cigarettes and 65,614.8 litres of various brands of liquor, estimated to be worth RM10.35mil including duties and taxes on May 18 and 21," he told a press conference in Ayer Keroh here, on Thursday (June 18).
He said inspection findings revealed that all the containers were brought from abroad to Port Klang at the end of April this year and were scheduled to be transported to several foreign countries as well as domestic ports including Kuching in Sarawak and Labuan.
"Our inspections also found that all the containers were under transhipment status and had failed to submit manifest declarations to Customs within the stipulated period," he said, adding four individuals representing shipping agent companies were detained to assist in investigations.
Roslan said Melaka Customs seized five containers at Port Klang containing 92.31 tonnes of e-waste worth RM1.25mil, which were declared in the shipping documents as iron and steel products.
"A man in his 40s and a woman in her 20s representing a shipping agent company were also detained to assist in investigations," he said.
According to him, Melaka Customs also seized 50,378 cigarettes and 36,686 litres of various brands of liquor worth RM1.53mil including duties and taxes following raids on three premises in Seberang Perai, Penang, and Baling, Kedah, on April 23 and 24.
In another raid, he said 249,600 cigarettes of various brands concealed in a multi-purpose vehicle were seized at the Ayer Hitam Toll Plaza in Johor on May 8.
He said the seizure was estimated to be worth RM290,359.20 including duties and taxes, while the male driver, aged in his 40s, was also detained to assist in investigations.
According to him, the cases were being investigated under various provisions of the Customs Act 1967 and, upon conviction, offenders could face fines and imprisonment. - Bernama
