BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Customs Department seized nearly RM1 million worth of smuggled firecrackers and electrical items in three separate raids recently.
Six people were detained in the raids and have been released on bail pending investigations.
State Customs Department director Hamisan Kalip said in the first incident at 4.30am last Monday (Jan 9), a team raided a business outlet in George Town and found three workers, aged 30 to 42, moving boxes of firecrackers and fireworks from a lorry.
He said checks unearthed 463 boxes of various brands of firecrackers and fireworks weighing 1,648.37kg in the premises and the lorry.
"The items, worth RM87,010 with unpaid taxes amounting to RM56,556.50, were brought in from Thailand. It was transported to Penang via land route," he said at a press conference here today.
Hamisan said the three men were detained to assist the probe and have been released on bail.
He said the modus operandi involved bringing in the firecrackers and fireworks via a land route without a valid declaration.
Hamisan said, in a separate incident at 11am on Jan 10, a team stopped a container at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) here.
He said checks inside the container found 510 units of electrical hob cookers worth RM358,500, with unpaid taxes totaling RM114,720.
"Initial checks revealed that the container was imported by a local company based in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, and the items were from China.
"A 34-year-old company manager was detained for investigation. She has since been released on bail."
Hamisan said in the third incident at 4.30pm on Dec 16 last year, a team detained two containers at the NBCT and found 129 electrical scooters worth RM283,000, with unpaid taxes amounting to RM85,140.
The items, he said, were imported by a local company based in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
"A 54-year-old was detained to assist in investigation and has been released on bail.
"The company had falsely declared the 129 scooters as CKD units instead of CBU units, which are tax-exempt," he said.