The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) in Melaka has successfully dismantled a smuggling operation involving cigarettes, alcoholic beverages and electronic waste (e-waste) worth more than RM13 million following a series of enforcement raids conducted between April and May.
Melaka Customs director Roslan Yusoff said the largest seizure involved seven shipping containers carrying cigarettes and liquor valued at RM10.35 million, believed to have been destined for ports in Sarawak, Labuan and several overseas locations.
He said investigations revealed that the containers, seized on May 18, were listed as transhipment cargo but had failed to declare the required manifest to customs authorities within the stipulated timeframe.
A detailed inspection uncovered approximately 8.82 million cigarettes and 65,614.8 litres of alcoholic beverages. The cargo is believed to have entered through Port Klang, Selangor, in late April.
In a separate operation at about 6am on May 8, Customs enforcement officers intercepted a luxury Toyota Vellfire at the Ayer Hitam Toll Plaza in Johor after receiving information that the vehicle was transporting untaxed cigarettes.
A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 249,000 cigarettes of various brands with an estimated value of RM290,359.
Roslan said Customs had earlier carried out raids on April 23 and 24 at two premises in Seberang Perai, Penang, and Baling, Kedah, where officers seized various brands of untaxed cigarettes and alcoholic beverages worth RM1.53 million.
Meanwhile, another operation conducted on May 7 and 8 resulted in the seizure of 92,310 kilograms of e-waste valued at RM1.25 million. The electronic waste, believed to have originated from South Korea, was found inside five containers at Port Klang.
Document checks showed that the shipment had been declared as iron and steel products. However, physical inspections revealed used electrical and electronic waste instead.
Authorities detained seven individuals, including one woman, aged between their 20s and 40s to assist with investigations under the Customs Act 1967.
Roslan said JKDM remains committed to intensifying enforcement efforts and surveillance operations to curb smuggling activities and the distribution of untaxed goods, which continue to cause significant losses in government revenue.
The latest seizures underscore the department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen border security and combat organised smuggling networks operating through the country’s ports and transportation routes.
