KLANG, March 29 — The Customs Department Central Zone II (Selangor) seized steel coil, snuff tobacco and liquor worth RM20.59 million through raids conducted around Port Klang on March 13, 18 and 19.
Customs Central Zone assistant director-general Norlela Ismail said the team found snuff tobacco, believed to be brought in from a country in South Asia, after seizing a container at the North Port on March 18.
She said an inspection of the container found the snuff tobacco suspected of not having a valid import permit, weighing 17.5 metric tonnes, with an estimated value and duties and taxes amounting to RM14,297 million.
“The investigation found that a false declaration had been made by declaring it to be ‘Used Clothing’ and the case was investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967,” she said.
She added that in the integrated operation known as the ‘Op Forte 2024’, the Customs Department on March 19 raided and inspected a warehouse in the Free Trade Zone, West Port and seized 221 rolls of steel coil worth RM4.86 million.
She said two local men, the warehouse manager and the owner of the items, aged 35 and 41, were also detained to assist in the investigation under Section 135(1)(a) and Section 133 (1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.
“The trade value of the seized coil is estimated at RM3,319,500. The total import duty and anti-dumping duty is estimated at RM1,542,200,” she said.
As for the liquor case, she said that during two different operations were carried out on March 13 and 18 in the West Port and the North Port, a total of 51,228 litres of various brands of liquor from two containers worth RM1.43 million including duties and taxes, were seized.
She added both cases use the same modus operandi by making false declarations, namely malt beer and machinery while the contents of the other were declared as umbrellas, and the case is investigated under Section 135 (1)(a) Customs Act 1967.
— Bernama
