Customs seize electric scooters, beedis, cigarettes and plast scrap worth RM121.65 mln

KLANG: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) Central Zone II (Selangor) busted a smuggling syndicate of used electric scooters, beedis, cigarettes, iron and plastic scrap estimated to be worth RM121.65 million through several raids around Port Klang from March to April.

Central Zone Customs principal assistant director Norlela Ismail said for the confiscation of used electric scooters, her team found the goods has no import permit after seizing a container in North Port on March 20.

He said an inspection of the container found 700 units of electric scooters with an estimated value and duty of RM573,000.

"Investigation found that a false declaration had been made on the item as aluminum alloy, which is an item that is not subject to an import permit to avoid being detected by the Customs.

"The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(a), Customs Act 1967 and if convicted can be punished with a fine, a maximum of five years imprisonment or both," she said at a press conference here today.

As for the seizure of beedi or leaf cigarettes, Norlela said the Selangor JKDM had found 500,000 beedi sticks with an estimated value and duty of RM12.5 million with the syndicate declaring the items as foodstuff.

She said the confiscation followed the detention of a container in North Klang Port on April 15 where based on the Customs Act 1967, those found guilty could be fined, imprisoned for a maximum of five years or both.

Regarding the cigarette case, Norlela said the Selangor JKDM on March 19 and April 2 detained 11 containers in the West Port and found and confiscated the prohibited goods with an estimated value and duty of RM102.8 million.

She said both cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(a), Customs Act 1967 because they are suspected of not complying with the conditions under the Customs (Prohibition on Import) Order 2023 i.e. not having an import permit for cigarettes transiting the port.

As for the scrap iron case, Norlela said the Selangor JKDM had confiscated 34 containers with an estimated value of RM5.3 million in the West Port that were believed to not have a valid import permit with the goods pledged as aluminum flakes and aluminum alloy.

"For the case of scrap plastics, the Selangor JKDM has placed a hold on six containers with an estimated value of RM355,102 which also have no imports permit and have been falsely declared as plastics and PE Flakes," he said.

-- BERNAMA

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