SEPANGGAR, June 10 — The Sabah Customs Department seized three types of smuggled goods, with an estimated value of RM16.66 million, in operations carried out at the Sepanggar Port last month.
Customs deputy director-general (Enforcement and Compliance) Siti Mang said that the smuggled goods comprised liquor, stored in 33 containers, with an estimated value of RM3.9 million.
“In addition, duties and taxes, amounting to approximately RM11.87 million, were seized between May 14 and May 29, after the items were found to have been falsely declared as aluminium products,” she said during a press conference at the port today.
The department also seized frozen chicken products on May 16, weighing 28,008 kilogrammes, with an estimated value of RM233,400, and duties and taxes amounting to RM93,360.
“The products were discovered in a container and had been falsely declared as frozen vegetable products,” Siti said.
On May 29 at 3.50pm, the Sabah Customs also seized a container carrying glutinous rice and fragrant rice, weighing 150,000 kg, with an estimated value of RM356,250, and taxes amounting to RM142,500.
“The rice was falsely declared as broken rice for animal feed, in an attempt to evade import permits and tax obligations,” she said, adding that all the cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.
Siti noted that the goods were imported from foreign countries for local distribution, and are believed to be part of a syndicate's smuggling operations.
She urged the public to cooperate with authorities by providing information on smuggling activities via the Customs toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-8855.
— Bernama
