SHAH ALAM, Feb 18 – The Selangor Department of Environment (JAS) intercepted an e-waste smuggling attempt at West Port today.

Its director, Nor Aziah Jaafar, said the raid with the help of the Malaysian Royal Customs Department uncovered around 145.1 tonnes of e-waste in eight containers believed destined for premises in the Klang Valley where they would be melted down to get metals like lead and copper for the domestic market.

"During the raid, which was conducted around noon today, we found used printed circuit boards and printers categorised as waste electric and electronic equipment, and believed headed for recycling.

"Initial investigations revealed that they were imported from the US and Hong Kong without JAS approval.

"We have issued a notice to the importer to send the containers back to where they came from as set out by the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal,” she said in a statement today. — Bernama