The Johor branch of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) successfully foiled attempts to smuggle Zamzam water and e-cigarette liquids, with the total value of the seized goods—including duties and taxes—estimated at RM3.42 million.
Johor Customs Director Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi said the success came from two separate operations involving container inspections at the Johor Port Free Zone and a lorry checkpoint at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB), Gelang Patah, last month.
In the first case on August 5, the Pasir Gudang Enforcement Division seized a 40-foot (12.19-meter) container, followed by three more containers on August 14 at the Johor Port Free Zone Container Inspection Bay.
“These containers were suspected of carrying prohibited goods. Upon thorough inspection, authorities discovered 21,582 bottles of Zamzam water, equivalent to 107,910 liters, without any import permits,” he said.
Zamzam water is considered a restricted item, with imports only allowed under a valid license in accordance with Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023, Schedule III, Part I, Item 35. The containers had declared the contents as “Holy Water” or “ordinary water” on Customs Form 4, Inward Manifest, and Bill of Lading.
The value of the goods is estimated at RM2.58 million, with duties and taxes totaling RM647,460, bringing the combined value to approximately RM3.23 million. The case is being investigated under Regulation 30(1) of the Free Zone Regulations 1991.
In the second case, Aminul Izmeer said Johor Customs uncovered a clever tactic of hiding a number of vape liquids behind the driver’s seat of a lorry, which were undeclared for export purposes.
On August 6, the Customs Border Management (CBM) Export Scanning Unit at KSAB detected suspicious images of a Hino lorry at the Export Inspection Bay.
“Upon inspection, authorities found 7,680 units of e-liquid pods hidden behind the driver’s seat, alongside 84 bobbins of automotive wire declared in Customs Form 2. A Hino lorry valued at RM130,000 was also seized, bringing the total value of this seizure to RM185,576, including taxes,” he said.
This case is being investigated under Section 133(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.
