A smuggling syndicate’s tactic of using luxury vehicles to avoid detection by authorities was exposed after the Johor Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) seized contraband items in four separate raids.
Johor Customs director Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi said four men, aged between their 20s and 60s, were arrested during operations carried out in Batu Pahat, Muar and Bahau, Negeri Sembilan.
The raids resulted in the seizure of 895.67 litres of alcoholic beverages and 261,390 sticks of untaxed cigarettes, along with two luxury vehicles believed to have been used in the smuggling operations — a Toyota Vellfire and a Mercedes-Benz CLA 200.
Aminul Izmeer said the first raid was conducted on June 11 at a house in Taman Bahagia, Batu Pahat, where authorities discovered 22,560 sticks of cigarettes, 394.42 litres of alcoholic drinks and a Toyota Vellfire.
The second operation on June 25 at Kampung Parit Kasim uncovered 134,430 sticks of untaxed cigarettes and 501.25 litres of alcoholic beverages hidden beneath the floor of a room in a house.
He added that a third raid on July 6 at Jalan Kim Kee, Muar led to the inspection of a Proton X70, where enforcement officers found 39,600 sticks of cigarettes of various brands stored in the rear seat area and boot of the vehicle.
The fourth seizure took place in Bahau, where another 64,800 sticks of untaxed cigarettes were confiscated together with a Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 believed to be linked to the syndicate’s activities.
According to Aminul Izmeer, the syndicate was believed to have brought in the contraband before hiding the goods in residential properties and vehicles for distribution in the local market.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 135 of the Customs Act 1967, which carries a penalty of up to 10 times the value of the goods or RM100,000, whichever is higher, or imprisonment of up to five years for a second offence.
JKDM Johor also urged members of the public to provide information on smuggling activities to help curb offences that could threaten national security and economic interests.
