Crime & Courts

[UPDATED] Enforcement officers paid RM4,000 - RM6,000 daily in vape smuggling scheme - MACC

KUALA LUMPUR: The vape smuggling syndicate recently crippled by graftbusters allegedly paid enforcement officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Free Commercial Zone (KLIA FCZ) between RM4,000 and RM6,000 daily to turn a blind eye to their activities.

Graftbusters have made seizures worth nearly RM18 million to date involving smuggled vapes, commercial vehicles, warehouses, branded items, mobile phones, computers and cash.

The syndicate has reportedly been actively smuggling vapes out of KLIA FCZ since 2023.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said investigations revealed that these officers were given bribes based on the size of the lorry they were releasing without conducting proper checks.

"Our intelligence suggests that at least 20 lorries linked to the syndicate were released from the KLIA FCZ daily.

"They charged RM150 for one-tonne lorries, RM300 for three-tonne lorries, RM500 for five-tonne lorries and RM750 for lorries upward of five tonnes," he said when contacted today.

Sources revealed that the syndicate mastermind was believed to be one of the civilians apprehended on the first day of Op Airways on Tuesday.

Azam said since the operation was launched, they have seized RM17.9 million worth of vapes, commercial vehicles, property, branded items, mobile phones and cash.

"Intelligence gathered by my investigators so far also suggests that this syndicate has been active since 2023.

"The investigation has just been initiated a few days ago and further checks are being conducted to identify other suspects involved," he said.

Yesterday, it was reported that a vape smuggling syndicate suspected of bribing Customs Department officials to overlook their illicit activities was busted by the MACC.

The syndicate, which had been under surveillance for over three months, was believed to have smuggled nearly RM8 million worth of vapes through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Cargo Centre.

The graftbusters launched "Op Airways," following extensive intelligence gathering by its Intelligence Division on Tuesday.

The operation saw six Customs Department officers, eight company directors, and two company employees arrested in raids around KLIA and Kuala Lumpur.

The vapes, over 122,000 of them, were believed to have been smuggled in from China via air freight.

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