Costly ride: Around RM33mil were lost in unpaid taxes and duties following the ‘discounts’ given by the suspects.
PETALING JAYA: Illegal discounts on luxury car duty have left the government with more than RM30mil in losses.
On Thursday, graft busters arrested seven people linked to the case, which saw RM33mil in Customs taxes go uncollected because the suspects charged known associates a lower rate.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) sources said the arrest was made at its Kedah headquarters after the suspects had their statements recorded.
The suspects, who were Customs Department agents, are believed to have been in cahoots with car owners using fake documents to reduce the assessment for customs duty.
The sources also added the luxury cars would have been ineligible for lower customs duty assessment.
All suspects were remanded for four days after a remand order was obtained at the Alor Setar Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The operation also saw raids on business premises, homes and government agencies in the Klang Valley, Kedah, Johor, Perak and Sabah.
MACC’s Special Operations Division senior director Datuk Tan Kang Sai confirmed the arrest when contacted.
