KLANG, July 22 — The Selangor Customs Department foiled an attempt to smuggle in 1,964 tonnes of scrap metal worth RM9.17 million after seizing 83 containers within the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) here recently.
Selangor Customs Department director Mohamad Azhar Ahmad Paharazi said the goods were confiscated through a series of inspections conducted in collaboration with the National Targeting Centre over a two-month period beginning in May.
He said preliminary investigations revealed the metals were imported without permits from several countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia and were believed to be brought in for domestic use.
“Checks showed that the goods had been declared as aluminium alloy, aluminium materials, raw aluminium, computer components and precious metals in the Manifest and Customs Form 1.
“The importation of scrap metal is subject to import permits issued by the Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia under Item 5, Part 1, Fourth Schedule, Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023,” he said at a press conference at Wisma Kastam, Pulau Indah, here today.
In a separate development, Azhar said Selangor Customs also seized 221.7 tonnes of steel coils worth RM1.29 million after detaining eight 6m containers at PKFZ.
He said the containers had arrived at Port Klang on June 4 with the goods declared as furniture and mattresses in Customs Form 1.
“Checks revealed the cargo to be prime pre-painted steel coils, believed to have been imported without permits for industrial use in the country and subject to anti-dumping duties of 52.1 per cent in accordance with the Customs (Anti-Dumping Duty)(Administrative Review)(No.2) Order 2021.
“Sixty-two coils were seized with an estimated value of RM769,434, while duties and taxes amounted to RM516,290. The case is still under investigation,” he said.
Azhar said his department also foiled smuggling attempts involving other types of goods worth RM4.37 million, including duties and taxes, through seizures at the West and North Port Free Zones from May to early July.
— Bernama
