Smuggled items worth RM6.5mil seized by Customs

The Star

13-06-2025

Party's over: Nadzri (right) showing the seized liquor at a press conference in Ayer Keroh, Melaka. — Bernama
MELAKA: Smuggled goods, including rice, worth about RM6.54mil were seized by the Melaka Customs Department in different raids from January to April this year.
Department director Nadzri Che Ani said in one of the first seizures, 623,000kg of rice was found in 28 cargo containers at Port Klang, Selangor, on Jan 20 and Feb 6.
The rice, believed to be from India, was worth RM5.23mil including duties, Bernama reported.
'The goods were first declared as sodium chloride (salt). The inspection found that each container held 70 sacks of salt and 445 sacks of rice.
'The sacks containing rice were fraudulently hidden at the back and the sacks of salt were placed at the front of the containers near the door,' he told a press conference here yesterday.
Nadzri said the goods were likely brought in from India for the local market, adding that the owner of the import company and shipping agent have been detained.
Rice is classified as a prohibited item under Item 25, Third Schedule/Part 1 of the Customs (Prohibition on Imports) Order 2023 and the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.
In separate raids on March 7 and April 11 in Johor Baru, the department seized liquor worth RM499,621 including duties.
'In the operation, a total of 8,585 litres of liquor were seized from three multi-­purpose vehicles.
'Inspections found that the liquor had a 'Malaysian Duty Not Paid' status and was an abuse of the exemption given in the duty-free area,' he said.
On April 5, Nadzri said the department seized 1.1 million cigarettes worth RM822,800 including duties that were stored in an unoccupied warehouse at a durian orchard in Muar, Johor.
All three cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.