IPOH: The Perak Customs Department has seized a container carrying about RM500,000 worth of prohibited frozen meat.
Department director Dr Mohamad Saprin said the seizure was made at West Port in Selangor around 3pm on May 11.
“The products, weighing 30 tonnes, were imported by a company based in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, Selangor.
“The meat is suspected to be sold for local markets,” he said.
Mohamad said the company had allegedly misdeclared the items as Frozen Mixed Vegetables instead of Frozen Beef Neck Bone.
“This is the common excuse used by companies to avoid undergoing inspections.
“According to the agent, they had misdelivered the items, where it should have been frozen meat instead of frozen mixed vegetables.
“However, based on our investigations, the company did not make efforts to fix the mishap,” he said.
The department also arrested a 40-year-old man to help with the investigations.
The case is investigated under Section 135 (1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 for importing prohibited goods. If this is their first offence, if found guilty, they can be fined no less than ten times the value of the goods or RM100,000, or whichever is greater, and not more than 20 times the value of the goods or RM500,000, whichever is greater, or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.
For the second or more offence, they can be fined not less than 20 times the value of the goods or RM200,000 whichever is greater, and not more than 40 times the value of the goods or RM1mil, whichever is greater, or imprisonment of no less than six months or not more than seven years or both.
