-min.png)
The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) in Labuan has seized 34 vehicles, including several luxury models, due to unpaid duties totaling RM3,085,030.78 following a series of operations conducted this year.
Labuan Customs Director Aspalila Awang Tuah announced that the seized vehicles include prestigious brands such as BMW, Toyota Vellfire, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi Q7. The operations carried out on the mainland of Sabah also resulted in the confiscation of other vehicles, including Toyota Harrier, Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Altis, Toyota Rush, Honda CRV, and Subaru.
"Compared to last year’s record of 16 cases, this year, in less than six months, we have already recorded 34 cases," Aspalila stated during a press conference at the Kiamsam Customs office. She explained that the usual modus operandi involves taking vehicles outside the duty-free island, known as Kawasan Utama Kastam (KUK), under the facilities of Item 14, Customs Duty (Exemption) Order 2017. However, these vehicles often fail to return within the stipulated 90 days, leading to their seizure.
The cases are currently under investigation under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967. Aspalila warned that if the owners do not settle the unpaid duties or compound the cases, they will face legal action in court, and the vehicles may be auctioned through a tender process.
Aspalila emphasized the commitment of the Labuan Customs Department to addressing the smuggling issue, which has been causing significant revenue losses for the duty-free island. She called on the public to assist in combating smuggling crimes involving cigarettes, liquor, firecrackers, drugs, vehicles, and other contraband.
“Smuggling is detrimental not only to the nation’s revenue but also poses a threat to national security and public safety,” she highlighted. By raising awareness about the broader impacts of smuggling, Aspalila hopes to garner community support in the fight against these illegal activities.
The department remains vigilant and resolute in its efforts to curb smuggling and protect national interests, reflecting a broader strategy to enhance enforcement and collaboration with the public to mitigate the adverse effects of smuggling on the economy and security.
Evon Anak Jerim is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.
