JOHOR BARU – The Johor Customs Department has seized luxury car spare parts and liquor worth RM2.5 million, inclusive of taxes, following an inspection of two trailers in the city here on September 30 and October 8, respectively.
Bernama reported state Customs Department director Sazali Mohamad as saying checks on the first trailer in Jalan Bertingkat Skudai, Kg Pasir, about 5.30pm led to the seizure of 9,364 vehicle spare parts.
He said initial investigations found that the items were declared with a “false and confusing” value and quantity in a bid to escape higher taxes.
“We seized the spare parts, valued at RM509,076, including duties, as well as the trailer, valued at RM80,000,” he told the press here.
He said the 51-year-old trailer driver has been detained under Section 133(1) of the Customs Act 1967 to facilitate the probe.
On the second case, he said checks on a semi-cargo trailer at the Kempas toll plaza earlier this month saw customs personnel seizing 17,000 bottles of liquor hidden in the vehicle.
He said the trailer was driven by a 56-year-old man, who was assisted by a 34-year-old attendant.
Checks revealed that the booze was declared as “mineral nutrient mixture liquid” to avoid detection by the authorities.
“We intercepted the trailer after the driver paid the toll. The liquor, believed to have been smuggled in from a neighbouring country, is valued at RM324,720, while duties came up to roughly RM1.7 million,” said Sazali.
He said the RM100,000 trailer was confiscated, and the driver and his attendant detained under Section 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act. – The Vibes, October 17, 2021
