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THE Royal Malaysia Customs confiscated 434 electric bicycles valued at over RM400,000, including duties and taxes, alongside 41.6 tonnes of undeclared basmati rice worth more than RM1.1 million, following investigations into suspected false declarations at Port Klang.
Pahang Customs Department (JKDM) Director Mohd Asri Seman revealed that the electric bicycles were seized on 9 October at North Port after checks indicated that the importing company had mis-declared the goods as ordinary bicycles, racing bicycles, and children’s bicycles.
“The container was not declared as containing electric bicycles because the import of such items is prohibited,” he said. “Electric bicycles may only be imported with a valid permit from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI).”
The estimated value of the bicycles themselves is RM272,200, with duties and taxes amounting to RM127,891.
Investigations have identified a Klang Valley-based company suspected of importing the bicycles and making the false declarations.
Authorities are also working to determine the total number of electric bicycles imported and smuggled using similar methods.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment and fines if convicted.
In a related operation on the same day, Customs enforcement officers discovered two containers falsely declared as rice flour, which in fact contained 41,600 kilograms of basmati rice smuggled from India.
Only 7,980 kilograms of rice flour, valued at RM23,940, were properly declared. The undeclared basmati rice has an estimated value of RM832,000, with duties of RM332,800.
“Basmati rice is a restricted import and can only be brought into the country with a permit from the Director General of Paddy and Rice Control, and is subject to inspection and approval by the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS),” Mohd Asri explained.
The company involved in the rice shipment has been identified, and further investigations are underway to ascertain the full scale of smuggling through this method. Like the bicycle case, the rice offences are being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.
“These seizures underscore our ongoing efforts to enforce import regulations, prevent smuggling, and protect the integrity of trade in Malaysia,” Mohd Asri said, emphasising the seriousness of falsifying import declarations. - December 2, 2025