‘International group behind gaming haul’
KUALA LUMPUR: The Customs Department yesterday pointed towards the involvement of an international syndicate in the recent smuggling of gaming machine components into the country.
Its director-general, Datuk Subromaniam Tholasy, said investigators were studying the possibility, and that they were looking at the case “at all angles”.
“Based on our investigations, we believe that there are many parties, local and foreign, behind this operation.
“Efforts to identify them are ongoing.
“But we need time to investigate and gather evidence,” he told the New Sunday Times yesterday.
Gaming machine components, which could be assembled into 1,227 gaming machines, valued at RM6.56 million, were seized by the Customs Department in March.
On Thursday, two male suspects, in their 50s and 60s, were arrested and remanded for five days to facilitate investigations into the case.
The gaming components, imported from China in eight containers with duty totalling RM2.48 million, were falsely declared as furniture items.
Subromaniam said the Customs Department had been working with agencies, and that the two men were arrested after a long surveillance by the authorities.
He added that the department had set up a special task force under the Commercial Fraud Division to crack the case.
“The task force will investigate and make sure no stones are left unturned in this foiled smuggling case,” he said.
Yesterday, NST reported that the gaming components seized were intended to be marketed in Malaysia.