Customs halts export of over 158 tonnes of scrap metal
KUCHING: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department halted a local company’s attempt to export 158,284kg of ‘aluminium and copper flakes’ to China via Senari Port recently.
Sarawak Customs director Dr Ahmad Taufik Sulaiman said the actual items were scrap metal estimated to be worth approximately RM2.17 million.
He said an agent and the owner of a company were arrested for falsifying declarations for the items intended to be exported.
Following a tip-off from Customs intelligence, on Oct 12 at around 2.30pm, enforcement personnel inspected six containers at Senari Port with declarations claiming to be copper and aluminium flakes.
“The initial inspection, which is the first found in the state, found that the items declared by the company were not the same as in the Custom’s documents, but metal waste.
“Following that, all the containers were detained for further inspection at the Customs Enforcement Division office at Jalan Gedung here.
“The inspections found loads of metal waste weighing 158,284kg, estimated to be worth approximately RM2.17 million and tax involved at around RM205,000,” Ahmad Taufik told a press conference yesterday.
The inspection carried out was in line with Operasi Demeter VIII 2022’, which targets cross-border smuggling.
Ahmad Taufik said scrap metal is a prohibited item under the Customs (Prohibition on Exports) Order 2017 and exports must be approved by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
“The modus operandi was the company made false and untrue declarations by declaring the items were ‘copper and aluminium flakes’ in order to avoid submitting permits from related agencies and avoid paying taxes,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 133(1)(a), of the Customs Act 1967, which provides for a maximum fine of RM500,000, or imprisonment of not more than seven years, or both.
“If this is not checked properly, there will be a leakage of national income and also has an element of control here because for the export, we need a permit because we are bound by several conventions at the international level related to hazardous industrial waste movements across the border, especially into our country but because the country is the signatory to the convention, we are responsible for controlling the entry and exit of hazardous materials,” Ahmad Taufik explained.
Those with information related to any smuggling activities can contact Customs’ toll-free line on 1-800-88-8855 or the nearest Customs office.
The identity of informers will be kept confidential.