PUTRAJAYA, Jan 9 — The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) has successfully cracked down on 7,097 cases of attempted smuggling and evasion of customs duties and taxes involving the seizure of various types of goods, including taxable goods with a total value of RM1.88 billion in 2025.
JKDM director-general Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin said among the items seized last year were cigarettes with 2,742 cases, liquor (920 cases), drugs (734 cases) and vehicles (516 cases).
She said this achievement recorded a significant increase of 15.33 per cent equivalent to RM250.71 million, compared to RM1.63 billion in 2024.
“This achievement reflects the ability and firmness of JKDM in continuously implementing law enforcement.
“It thus protects the country’s revenue and curbs smuggling and embezzlement activities that affect the economy and well-being of the people,” she said in a press conference here today.
For confiscated goods involving vehicles, she said JKDM carried out disposal according to the methods set out under the current circular or regulations in force, including disposal through open tenders.
“This process not only ensures transparency and integrity of the process, but also generates revenue for the government.
“For confiscated goods involving cigarettes and liquor (RMK), JKDM would like to emphasise that the commodities are not sold to the public, but are instead completely disposed of,” she said.
Anis Rizana said JKDM also applied an integrated approach that combined human intelligence (Human Intelligence - HI) and artificial intelligence (Artificial Intelligence - AI) to improve the efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness of the implementation of tasks in the field.
“This approach allows operational decisions to be made based on data and risk while also leveraging the experience and professional judgment of customs officers,” she said.
In addition, she said JKDM also moved forward in the digital transformation agenda through the acquisition of 134 units of modern, high-capacity scanning machines equipped with AI technology.
“These scanning machines are capable of identifying the goods being scanned in a short period of time, thus increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of customs operations,” she said.
To ensure that the implementation of the department’s tasks is always based on the principles of integrity and good governance, the JKDM implemented a 100 per cent work rotation for 2025, exceeding the minimum setting of 50 per cent as set by the Public Service Department (JPA).
“This approach not only aims to strengthen operational efficiency and human resource management, but also plays a role in reducing risks related to integrity and governance, in addition to supporting sustainable human capital development,” she said. — Bernama
