Ops Grip: MACC Uncovers Label Fraud, Erasure Of Bar Codes By Companies Importing Tyres

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Label fraud and the erasure of bar codes on tyres are among the main findings of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in their investigation, code-named Op Grip.

According to a source, other findings include the sale of tyres through unauthorised distributors and the smuggling of imported tyres, which pose a risk to consumer safety.

The source stated that these discoveries were the result of a comprehensive inspection carried out on 17,672 tyre units seized in raids on September 29 at six warehouses and containers involving two companies.

"The inspection was conducted jointly with technical representatives from the brands Toyo Tires, Yokohama, Bridgestone, Michelin, Pirelli, Continental, Dunlop, and Maxxis, and was also joined by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim).

"The purpose of the inspection was to identify the authenticity of the tyres, compliance with safety standards, and to detect sales through unauthorised channels," the source told Bernama here today.

The source informed that, in addition to the freezing of several personal and company bank accounts with an estimated value of about RM70 million, various assets believed to have been acquired through money laundering activities were also seized.

The assets include six plots of land used as warehouse sites valued at RM4.5 million, two units of double-storey terrace houses (RM2 million), one townhouse unit (RM2 million), and one four-storey shop lot unit (RM4 million), bringing the total value of the freezing and seizures to RM82.5 million," the source added.

Meanwhile, the Senior Director of the MACC Special Operations Division, Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin, confirmed the information when contacted.

He said the investigation was being conducted under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 and Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).

On September 29, the MACC successfully uncovered activities involving the smuggling of tyres and the falsification of import and export documents, which are believed to have caused the government to suffer a loss of tax revenue of approximately RM350 million since 2020.

Raids were carried out on several companies involved in the tyre import business, including warehouses and tyre storage containers, across 23 locations around the Klang Valley, Penang, and Johor.

-- BERNAMA