KUALA LUMPUR: Police are still waiting for their Japanese counterparts to respond to their inquiry on the alleged smuggling of more than 100kg of gold bars from Malaysia.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said Bukit Aman had requested for a report on the incident immediately after news of the case emerged on Sunday.
"We have put in a request for a detailed report from the Japanese authorities.
"However, they have yet to reply to our request until today," he said, adding that he had even placed a request through Interpol.
"I hope they will respond soon because we want to start our own investigations here.
"If you do not want to respond, then don't talk about it," he said during a press conference after the Ops Selamat awards ceremony for contingent and district level today.
According to Japan Today, Customs officials were said to have found the gold bars worth over 500 million yen (RM19.1 million) hidden under clothing of 10 Malaysians at the Kansai International Airport in Osaka in April.
The Malaysians had reportedly walked through the required customs declaration procedures without declaring the gold bars.
The case is being investigated as suspected violation of the customs and consumption tax laws.