ALOR SETAR, Oct 4 — The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) foiled an attempt to smuggle in alcohol and frozen meat worth over RM1.5 million after detaining a container at Pandamaran Industrial Park, Port Klang in Selangor, on Monday.
Its deputy director (Enforcement and Compliance) Datuk Seri Zulkifli Yahya said a local 38-year-old man who was the ‘tonto’ responsible for monitoring the container, was also detained.
According to him, a check by a team of Alor Setar Branch Customs personnel at 3pm on the container found 13,152 bottles of liquor from India worth more than RM1.4 million with tax estimated at RM885,787.
“We also found 273 boxes of frozen meat from Brazil weighing 5,106kg worth RM72,840 and RM7,284 in tax. The overall value is more than RM1.5 million with tax estimated at RM893,071.
“The check found that the container had been using conventional routes without going through proper customs inspection, besides the quantities and types of items declared did not tally with documentation,” he said at a media conference here today.
Zulkifli said the modus operandi used in this case was to stack the boxes of frozen meat near the container door while the boxes of liquor were arranged on the back of the container.
“This is the first time we have seen such a modus operandi where they placed the frozen meat boxes being used as a cover to prevent the enforcement personnel from detecting the boxes of liquor hidden at the back.
“We have seized the container while the 38-year-old ‘tonto’ was remanded for four days since October 1,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 135 (1) (d) of the Customs Act 1967 and for the first offence, the offender shall be liable to a maximum fine of 20 times of the value of the goods seized or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both upon conviction.
In the meantime, Zulkifli appealed to the public to inform them of any smuggling activities by calling the Customs toll-free line at 1800-88-8855. — Bernama
