Customs seize 272 tonnes of scrap iron worth RM1.64mil in West Port
KLANG: The Selangor Customs Department has seized 272.6 tonnes of scrap iron worth RM1.64mil that was illegally brought in, following the detention of 14 containers at West Port Free Zone recently.
Customs assistant director-general (enforcement) Raizam Setapa @ Mustapha said all the goods were confiscated after a series of inspections and seizures conducted in April 2025.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the scrap metal was imported from several countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia, and is believed to have been brought in for recycling purposes.
"Inspections found that the goods were declared as copper alloy, alternators and used vehicle components, including aluminium powder, in Customs Form 1 to mislead authorities.
"All the goods confirmed as scrap iron were seized for not having an import permit issued by the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim) as outlined under Item 5, Part 1, Fourth Schedule, Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023," he said during a press conference at Wisma Kastam, Pulau Indah here on Monday (May 26).
In other developments, Raizam said Selangor Customs also seized 26,238 litres of alcoholic beverages worth RM188,724 after detaining a 40-foot container on May 6.
He said the container arrived at Port Klang on April 22, with the goods declared as furniture.
Raizam also stated that Customs successfully foiled attempts to smuggle five types of commodities, including rice, chewing tobacco and 21 units of washing machines and clothes dryers, with a total value of RM3.5mil through seizures involving the West and North Port Free Zone areas throughout April and May.
"All cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 for importing prohibited goods contrary to a prohibition and Section 133(1)(a) of the same act for making false declarations," he said. – Bernama
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