SEREMBAN: Customs authorities intercepted contraband alcohol worth an estimated RM11.5mil, including unpaid duties, during a raid on a warehouse inside the Port Klang Free Zone in Selangor.
Negri Sembilan Customs Director Jamal Paiman said officers seized 16,096 bottles and 568,470 cans of various alcoholic beverages in the 9.30pm operation on July 1.
"We believe the relevant duties on the seized items had not been paid as required under the Customs (Prohibition of Import) Order 2023," Jamal said on Wednesday (Aug 5), noting that officers seized the items under Section 114 of the Customs Act 1967.
The illicit alcohol carries an estimated market value of RM4mil, with unpaid duties amounting to RM7.5mil. Officers also detained a 27-year-old suspect at the scene.
According to Jamal, the syndicate's strategy involved storing contraband within the duty-free zone before illicitly transferring it into the main Customs territory to bypass tax obligations.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 and Regulation 30(1)(a) of the Free Zones Regulations. Convictions under the Customs Act carry severe penalties, including fines of up to 20 times the value of the goods, imprisonment, or both.
In a separate operation that same day, officers intercepted a lorry in Sepang and seized 426 boxes of undeclared electronic goods and automotive spare parts.
Jamal said the seized cargo and the vehicle were impounded under Section 114 of the Customs Act 1967. The goods are valued at approximately RM640,000, with unpaid duties totalling nearly RM70,000. A 34-year-old man was detained in connection with the seizure.
"We believe these imported products were moved out of the Customs area without following prescribed procedures," Jamal said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 133(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 for false declarations.
He urged the public to assist in combating smuggling by reporting suspicious activities to the Customs toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-8855, assuring that all informants' identities will remain strictly confidential.
