KOTA BHARU, April 23 — The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has located around 140 illegal bases along the 106km Malaysia-Thailand border, especially in Kelantan.
Customs deputy director-general (enforcement and compliance) Datuk Sazali Mohamad said the bases were most likely set up during the hot season, and their numbers are expected to rise along Sungai Golok as the river’s water level has been dropping.
“…With the current situation, the number of illegal bases has risen with nearly one for every kilometre.
“Although they are small or newly made, it is an illegal route and is a smuggling area for both countries,” he said to the press after attending the Kelantan Customs Hari Raya Aidilfitri event today.
Sazali added that the problem of illegal bases is not under the jurisdiction of the Customs Department but other agencies like the police, the National Security Council, and the local authorities.
“We at the border always rely on cooperation with all agencies as it is hard to control the situation at the border in Sungai Golok.
“Whatever it is, the Customs Department will boost efforts to stamp out smuggling, and we do not want the public to blame us if smuggling is rampant as curbing smuggling is the responsibility of all, including society in general,” he said.
On the Customs Department’s success in Kelantan, 670 investigation papers were opened in 2023, with seizures, including tax, valued at RM27.9 million.
“The largest seizure involved cigarettes, worth RM22 million including taxes. In addition, for the first three months this year, various items worth RM6.8 million, including tax, were seized, and 272 investigation papers were opened,” Sazali said.
— Bernama
