PETALING JAYA: The Customs Department seized more than RM2 million worth of smuggled rice, liquor, and beer in a series of operations conducted between Sept 30 and Oct 26.
"A team from the Customs Department Central Zone Kuala Lumpur enforcement division detected a 40-foot shipping container with suspicious contents on Sept 30 at North Port, Port Klang," said Central Zone assistant director general Norlela Ismail.
"We brought the container back to the Kuala Lumpur Customs Complex for inspection and found 15.39 tonnes of rice hidden amongst the other items inside," she told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Customs Complex today.
She said the rice, which originated from India was worth RM227,000 with unpaid duties worth RM91,000.
Norlela explained importers must provide an approved permit from Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) in order to bring in rice legally.
"We detained a 30-year-old man who works as a delivery agent to facilitate further investigations," she said.
Norlela said on Oct 7, following surveilance for about a month, a team of enforcement division personnel raided a premise along Jalan Tun H.S. Lee at around 2.30pm.
"Checks at the vacant premise led to the discovery of 3,000 litres of hard liquor worth RM100,000 with RM395,000 in unpaid duties.
"Further checks revealed some of the liquor was from Scotland while other bottles involved liquor distilled in Malaysia," she said adding that the bottles were also affixed with fake tax stamps.
She said they believed the premises was used as a storage facility for the liquor which was meant for distribution within the Klang Valley area.
Norlela said on Oct 26, another team of enforcement division personnel raided a warehouse at the Balakong Jaya Industrial Area at around 9.45pm following surveilance for a month.
"We detained two locals and two Myanmar nationals who were there and found 27,792 litres of illicit beer worth RM189,884 with RM1.09 million in unpaid duties.
"The beer was found inside three lorries at the warehouse," she said adding that the warehouse was believed to be used as a storage facility for the beer which was meant to be distributed here.
She said the beer was believed to have been smuggled into Malaysia from China.