KOTA BARU: The Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) foiled an attempt to distribute frozen chicken and sausages in the state after it seized the smuggled items worth more than RM50,000 recently.
The two items believed to have been smuggled from Thailand, were seized from three lorries after they passed through the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in Rantau Panjang.
Kelantan Maqis director Rosli Che At said the three lorries entered the checkpoints from Thailand when they were stopped for inspection by Maqis officers on Wednesday.
He said during the two-hour operation which began at about 5pm, Maqis officers inspected several lorries passing through the complex.
"Three lorries with the frozen chicken and sausages had no import permits.
"The chicken and the sausages were hidden under boxes of vegetables and fruits.
"We believe that this is their tactic to evade detection," he said in a statement today.
Rosli said the fruits and the vegetables worth about RM3,270, were also seized from the three lorries as they did not have import permits from Maqis.
He added Maqis would continue to carry out similar operations from time to time to nab those flouting the Maqis Act 2011.