KUALA LUMPUR: Police have seized 370 bottles of premium alcoholic beverages worth RM702,566.11 in a joint operation targeting suspected excise duty evasion.
The seizure was made during Ops Taring Alpha 2, conducted by Bukit Aman's Wildlife Crime Control Bureau/Special Investigation Intelligence (WCB/PSK) in collaboration with the Kuala Lumpur Royal Malaysian Customs Department branch on Tuesday (Nov 3).
WCB/PSK commander Senior Asst Comm Datuk Mohd Zaki Ashar said the operation, which began at 11.40am, involved simultaneous inspections at two separate premises – a warehouse in Selangor and a business in Kuala Lumpur.
"Five individuals were screened, comprising four Bangladeshi men and a local man. Three of the Bangladeshis and the local man were detained to assist investigations under the Immigration Act 1959/63," he said in a statement on Wednesday (Nov 4).
He said Customs officers seized 73 boxes containing 370 bottles of various alcoholic beverages, with an estimated total value of RM702,566.11.
SAC Zaki said preliminary checks using air-scanning equipment at the first premises found that some premium liquor bottles were suspected of carrying counterfeit or low-duty Customs excise stamps compared with the rates that should have been imposed.
"The modus operandi is believed to involve the falsification of excise duty stamps to avoid paying the actual duties, potentially resulting in revenue losses to the government," he said.
However, inspections at the second premises found that all excise duty stamps on the liquor bottles were verified as genuine and complete, with no offences detected and no seizures made there.
SAC Zaki said all four detainees were being investigated under Sections 15(1)(c) and 55B of the Immigration Act and Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
Meanwhile, Customs is investigating the suspected offence under Section 133(1)(c) of the Customs Act 1967.
The seized items have been handed over to the Kuala Lumpur Customs Department for further action and investigation.
SAC Zaki said the operation reflected the continued commitment of WCB/PSK to strengthen strategic cooperation with enforcement agencies in combating smuggling, misappropriation and revenue leakages.
