PUTRAJAYA: The Customs Department has seized alcoholic beverages worth RM110,000, with unpaid duties of RM448,000, in four separate raids near Seri Kembangan on Thursday.
Its director general Datuk Abdul Latif Abdul Kadir said the first case was detected during a check on a van parked next to the Seri Kembangan road about noon.
The enforcement team found 4,800 foreign branded canned beers worth RM10,000 and detained the van driver on the spot.
Three hours later, the team stopped a lorry in Balakong and seized 1,920 bottles of beer worth RM13,000 and detained two men.
"At 3.30pm, we stopped another lorry nearby and seized another 3,528 bottles of beer worth RM8,000. Two men were also arrested.
"We then uncovered a store near the area where we found 27,000 canned beers worth RM79,000," he said in a press conference here today.
The total value of the smuggled beers seized was RM110,000 with a taxable value of RM448,000.
The five men detained in the process have been released on bail and further investigations are being carried out.
The cases are being investigated under Customs Act 1967 and Excise Act 1976.
"We urge the public to report any information of smuggling to us. Informants will remain anonymous.
In total, the Customs Department has seized RM17.64 million worth of liquors with a taxable value of RM34.88 million this year.
Meanwhile, the department said it will investigate claims of sales of kiddie pack cigarettes (five sticks) which has been banned.
"We detected the case at Melaka recently but the amount was too small." he added.