ISKANDAR PUTERI: More than RM6mil worth of illegal cigarettes, alcohol and drugs have been seized by the Johor Customs Department in four separate raids around Johor and Selangor.
Johor Customs Department director Misbahudin Parmin said that the raids were conducted at Klang, Pasir Gudang and Johor Baru between March 3 and March 20.
"Following a tip off, the Johor Customs Department had on March 3 seized eight containers containing various alcoholic beverages at the Klang Port in Selangor.
"The goods were declared as spare parts for machines when in fact, the containers contained untaxed alcohol.
"A total of RM922,000 worth of alcohol were seized with unpaid duties amounting to RM4.165mil," he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 135 (1)(a) of the Customs Act for importing untaxed or illegal goods.
He said this during a press conference at the Sungai Pulai Customs Enforcement Complex here on Thursday (March 30).
Misbahudin said that the department had also foiled attempts to smuggle out RM1.27mil worth of cigarettes at two separate raids in Pasir Gudang.
"Following checks on a container at the Pasir Gudang Port on March 6, we found RM67,000 worth of illegal cigarettes with RM402,000 of unpaid duties.
"The items were declared as plastic goods but when inspected, they contained cigarettes.
"In a separate case on March 15, we also raided a warehouse at the Pasir Gudang duty free zone area where we seized another RM115,000 worth of cigarettes with unpaid duties amounting to RM687,000.
"They were declared as lights but contain alcohol instead," he said.
He noted that company representatives from both cases in their 30s and 40s were arrested to assist in investigation before later being released on bail.
"We believe that the cigarettes are from China and in such cases, normally, the cigarettes are to be sent to Australia," he said, adding that two cases were being investigated under Section 133(1)(a) for false declaration and attempts to export illegal goods.
In another case, he also said that the department had also caught seven individuals red handed while they were high on drugs at a massage centre at an apartment in Wadi Hana, Johor Baru.
"We received a tip off on drug smuggling activities going on at three units at the apartment.
"When we raided the units, we found out that the units were being used as a massage centre. Seven individuals, including a person believed to be the operator of the centre, were also found to be high on drugs.
"We also found 5.69g of methamphetamine and three Erimin 5 pills worth RM614.00 in three units," he said.
He added that the suspects included three local men, three foreign men and one female foreigner who were between 30 and 50 years old.
The seven suspects had been charged at the Johor Baru Magistrate court under Section 12(2) and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, he said.
