KUCHING: Sarawak Customs successfully crushed an attempt to smuggle out 42 imported luxury cars on Thursday.
State Customs director Datuk Sharifah Halimah Tuanku Taha revealed that an operation was conducted on a warehouse around 11.30am.
A car sales premises was suspected of smuggling luxury imported cars through a Pekema Licensed Warehouse licensed under Section 65 of the Customs Act 1967.
“As a result of thorough inspection of the vehicles in the premises, the team seized 42 luxury cars of various models/brands for violating Section 75 of the Customs Act 1967.
“The total confiscated goods are valued at RM6.485mil along with total tax at RM10.207mil,” she said in a statement.
The company failed to produce any document to verify that the vehicles were taxable. Failing to do so resulted in the confiscation and an individual was detained to assist investigation.
The goods were taken to the Kuching enforcement headquarters for safe keeping and further investigation.
“The cars were kept in the parking area of a house of worship as a storehouse with a rent of RM5, 000 a month.
“The vehicles were located inside the premises, which served as the centre of the company’s sales operations.
It used the house of worship’s parking space behind a car dealership to confuse the authorities,” she said.
She added that the case is being investigated for violation of the provisions of Section 75 of the Customs Act 1967 for transferring duty items from unauthorised customs control and approval as imposed by the director-general of Malaysian Customs.
