KUALA LUMPUR: The Johor Customs Department foiled an attempt to smuggle in 44,929 bottles of contraband liquor valued at RM1.2 million at the Pasir Gudang Free Trade Zone recently.
This haul was said to be the biggest seizure by the Customs Department in the state.
The undeclared liquor was found during a Customs Department operation. The enforcement team found them in four containers on Sept 28.
Johor Customs Department deputy director (compliance) Abu Hanipah Abdul Rahman said a team from the department’s operation and enforcement unit raided the Pasir Gudang Port here at 5.30pm.
“The raiding team checked four containers, based on information, at the port’s Customs Inspection Bay.
“The team found that the containers contained various types of hard liquor and the importer’s details found on the inward manifest were believed to be false,” he said at the Menara Kastam Johor here today.
The contraband liquor was valued at RM1,233,330.50 with unpaid duties valued at RM3,659,641.36.
Abu Hanipah said the case was being investigated under Section 133 (1) (a) of the Customs Act 1967.
In a separate case, a Customs Department team seized 387,200 sticks of kretek (clove) cigarettes worth RM46,464 from a van after a short chase.
Abu Hanipah said the van carrying the contraband cigarettes initially fled from the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine facility of the Sultan Iskandar Building in Johor Baru at 6.30am on Oct 3.
He said the van crashed on a road divider and the team apprehended the driver.
On the same day, Abu Hanipah said Customs Department officers and a Customs Border Management (CBM) team seized 46,000 sticks of contraband cigarettes worth RM36,800 at the Sultan Iskandar Building in Johor Baru at 10.30am.
“The suspects have been apprehended for further investigation under Section 133 (1) (e) of the Customs Act 1967.”
