KUALA LUMPUR: Several online shopping platforms and websites serving the Malaysian market have appeared to remove Israeli dates from their inventory.
The "Organic Jumbo Medjool Dates" previously sold on these platforms and websites are believed to be the same ones seized by the Customs Department yesterday.
Links to the "Organic Jumbo Medjool Dates" on the shopping platforms and websites lead either to a page that says the "product doesn't exist" or broken links with an "Error 404" message.
Overseas websites selling the dates indicate that the product comes from Israel though shipping options to Malaysia are not available.
Yesterday, the Customs Department seized 73 packs of "Organic Jumbo Medjool Dates" believed to be from Israel.
This followed claims online that a company was selling the dates from the country.
A local man in his 40s, who is believed to be the owner of the business was arrested for further investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, which pertains to the possession of prohibited goods.
Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and the import of goods from the country requires a special permit from the Investment, Trade, and Industry Ministry.