A shipment containing 1,240 sex toys worth RM52,500 was intercepted after authorities uncovered an attempt to conceal the items among legitimately declared goods inside a container.
The seizure was made by the Selangor Customs Enforcement Division at the North Port Free Zone in Port Klang on May 26, following an inspection of the container.
Selangor Customs director Noraidah Ishak said the items were discovered during a detailed inspection and had been classified as absolutely prohibited goods under Malaysian customs regulations.
“Preliminary investigations found that the container arrived at Port Klang from China on May 21,” she said during a press conference at the Selangor Customs Office on Friday.
Authorities believe the shipment was intended for the local market, while investigations are continuing to identify those behind the attempt to bring the goods into the country.
Noraidah said the syndicate allegedly used a false declaration in Customs Form 1, listing the contents as waist bags, chairs and underwear instead of the actual items being transported.
The case is being investigated under the Customs Act 1967, with enforcement officers continuing to trace the parties responsible for the shipment and its intended distribution.
In a separate case, the Selangor Customs Enforcement Division also seized 48.78 million white cigarettes worth RM37.56 million, inclusive of duties and taxes, between June 3 and June 10.
Noraidah said the containers involved in the cigarette seizure were classified as transhipment cargo and had not been declared in the relevant manifests.
The cigarettes were believed to have originated from an Asian country, although no declaration had been made in the manifests when the containers were inspected.
The Customs Department urged members of the public to provide information on suspected smuggling activities by contacting the Customs toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-8855 or the nearest customs office.
Noraidah also assured informants that their identities would be kept confidential.
