Customs Dept seizes 28 luxury vehicles with unpaid duty of RM10mil

Source: The Star

IPOH: The Customs Department has seized 28 luxury vehicles with a combined duty value of about RM10mil at several locations in Perak and Selangor.

Its Perak director Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mohamad said the seizures were made during raids on 12 locations in the two states in January and February.

"The vehicles have not passed Customs (screening) and were kept at the locations raided. The makes seized included Porsche, Mercedes and Lexus," he said at a press conference here on Monday (March 4).

"Some of the vehicles were being kept in licensed warehouses," he added.

Abdul Ghafar said 11 people in their 40s and 50s were also arrested to help with the investigation, adding that they are believed to be the vehicle and company owners.

He added that the case is being investigated under Sections 135(1)(d), 133(1)(a) and 138 of the Customs Act 1967.

"We are investigating whether this is their first offence," he said.

For the offence under Section 135(1)(d), those convicted can be punished under Section 135(1)(v)(aa) of the same Act, which carries a fine of up to 20 times the excise value or RM500,000, whichever is higher, or a maximum five years in jail or both.

The offence under Section 133(1)(a) carries a penalty of a fine of not more than RM500,000 or up to seven years in jail, or both, upon conviction.

Under Section 138, the offence carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or a jail term of not more than five years or both, upon conviction.