The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) has seized 701 used iPhones and 870,000 sticks of smuggled cigarettes in two separate operations, with the total value including duties and taxes estimated at RM1.527 million.
Melaka Customs director Roslan Yusoff said the 701 smartphones were seized after officers inspected a boat at a jetty in Port Klang, Selangor, on July 23.
The inspection, conducted at around 4.30am, uncovered several boxes containing the used phones. The boxes had reportedly been wrapped in black plastic and concealed inside the vessel.
Roslan said the boat had arrived carrying vegetables and was scheduled to return to its country of origin without any cargo, according to its customs declaration.
“According to the declaration documents, the vessel was only supposed to return with 250 empty boxes from the port,” he said at a press conference at the Melaka Customs Department headquarters in Ayer Keroh today.
Eleven foreign crew members aged between 34 and 61 were detained to assist with investigations.
A local man in his 30s, who represented the delivery company and was responsible for handling the relevant documentation, was also detained.
The seized phones were estimated to be worth RM716,184, including duties and taxes. The shipment is subject to requirements under Item 43, First Part of the Third Schedule of the Customs (Prohibition of Exports) Order 2023.
The models seized included the iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 15, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.
In a separate operation on August 13, Customs officers also seized 870,000 sticks of cigarettes that had not been subjected to customs duty.
The cigarettes were estimated to be worth RM811,180, including duties and taxes.
Combined, the two seizures involved goods with an estimated value of RM1.527 million including duties and taxes, according to the Melaka Customs Department.
