JOHOR BARU, May 20 — A house in a rural village in Segamat, which doubled as a storage facility for untaxed firecrackers and fireworks, was raided by an enforcement team from the Johor Customs Department earlier this month.

Johor Customs Department director Sazali Mohamad said the raid was carried out on May 5 at 1.45am where a total of 117 boxes of firecrackers and fireworks with a value of RM103,372 including tax were seized.

"Further checks revealed that about 2.5 tonnes of firecrackers and fireworks were found hidden in two rooms of the house.

"Following the seizure, Customs officers also detained a couple, aged 31 and 32, for further investigation.

"From interrogation, the woman later admitted that the prohibited items belonged to her and were placed in the man’s house,” said Sazali during a press conference at Menara Kastam here today.

The case is being investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 which states it is an offence to possess and store prohibited goods without a valid permit.

On a related matter, Sazali said that during Ops Letup, which took place on April 11 to May 9, the state Customs Department had seized 12.3 tonnes of firecrackers and fireworks estimated to be worth RM264,898.

In the same operation, he added that the raiding team also seized 29,387 litres of liquor estimated to be worth RM398,823 and a total of 733,669 contraband cigarettes amounting to RM160,473.

"The public are urged to help the Johor Customs Department fight smuggling activities, especially those involving cigarettes, liquor, firecrackers, drugs and vehicles,” he said.

Sazali added that the public are also advised not to get involved in such activities.

"Smuggling not only harms the country in terms of revenue loss, but it also poses a threat to national security and the well-being of the people,” he said.