Customs Seize Contraband Cigarettes Worth RM76 Mln At Port Klang

KLANG, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Customs Department seized 114.26 million sticks of white cigarettes worth RM76.26 million including duties after detaining 11 containers at North Port and West Port in Port Klang here on July 23 and Aug 12.

Customs director-general Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin said the cigarettes, believed to be without import permits, were declared as fertilisers (ammonium sulphate) and coated cards to avoid detection by authorities.

“All the containers arrived at Port Klang on July 22 and are suspected to have originated from countries in Asia and Europe,” she told a press conference today.

In addition, Anis Rizana said the Customs Central Zone, Unit II (Selangor) seized 36 million sticks of kretek cigarettes worth RM31.67 million after inspecting three containers, also declared as fertilisers, at the North Port on Aug 12.

On the same day, the department also confiscated 30 metric tonnes of tobacco worth RM10.16 million from another container at the North Port, believed to have been imported from a European country.

She said all cases were investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.

Meanwhile, Anis Rizana said 35.12 metric tonnes of plastic scrap were seized from two containers at the West Port on Aug 2, believed to be without an import permit.

She said the plastic scrap was believed to come from the African continent and arrived in Port Klang on July 23 under the guise of an HDPE (high-density polyethene) Lump to avoid import permit requirements.

The importation of plastic scrap requires a permit issued by the National Solid Waste Management Department.

-- BERNAMA