Customs offers public reward for info leading to arrests

PUTRAJAYA – The Customs Department is offering a public reward for information that leads to the arrests of syndicate members or individuals involved in crime, including drug trafficking.

However, the offer does not apply to customs personnel as fighting crime is part of their job, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

The deputy finance minister said this during a media conference after officiating a meeting of the main committee of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) compliance programme here today.

It was reported yesterday that Customs seized 454kg of drugs worth nearly RM70 million in three raids mounted in Port Klang and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Air Cargo Complex in Sepang earlier this month following a tip-off from the Saudi Interior Ministry.

Meanwhile, commenting on the Australian authorities’ massive seizure of drugs shipped from Malaysia in Brisbane last March, Ahmad said the incident had sullied Malaysia’s image.

“The government views the matter involving this loophole that led to the incident seriously,” he said, adding that Customs needs to improve monitoring, intelligence, and information sharing to curb the activities of drug-trafficking syndicates passing through the country.

The media had reported that Australian authorities seized 336kg of drugs believed to be heroin and estimated to be worth AU$268.8 million (RM840.93 million) from a shipping container from Port Klang to Brisbane on March 13.

Meanwhile, on the AEO, Ahmad said a total of 136 companies have obtained AEO accreditation from Customs from 2022 until May this year, adding that it targeted accrediting 41 new companies this year.

The national AEO programme aims to facilitate the goods-clearance mechanism through integrated trade facilitation, cultivate more transparent corporate governance among stakeholders, and ensure duties and taxes are collected more accurately to increase government revenue.

The initiative was introduced by the World Customs Organisation in 2005 and had been implemented by Malaysian Customs since 2010. – Bernama, June 13, 2023