IT was a trick that worked for almost a year – sending enforcement authorities chasing after smuggling syndicates to keep them away from his own illegal operations.

Using this strategy, a retired Customs Department director raked in millions of ringgit from smuggling liquor and cigarettes, until he was detained by anti-graft officers over the weekend.

Sources told The Malaysian Insight that in the past year, the former top official provided authorities with information on the smuggling activities of other syndicates to steer them away from his own.

He had set up an anti-smuggling group when he retired in November last year to “help the state authorities” stop smugglers from across the border.

“What he was actually doing was getting rid of competition from other smuggling syndicates and at the same time gaining knowledge of the operations conducted by the Customs Department,” a source  said.

“As a former director in the state, he had the trust of the public and they provided assistance for him to fight smuggling activities at the border.

“But what the director did not know was that his syndicate was also being watched by the authorities.”

It was learnt that his syndicate had operated without any problems in the past as it had inside help.

But the authorities decided to move in last week.

“His (former director’s) experience was an advantage for his syndicate. It was easier for them to get illegal goods in and out of the country,” the source said.

The source said two more suspects who were as company directors had long been wanted for masterminding the smuggling of cigarettes and liquor.

“They were untouchable before and they were known as the king of smugglers. They also rented out their import licences to syndicate.

“They produced a fake Customs seal and misused their import licence issued by the Inland Revenue Board.”

On Monday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) obtained a five-day remand order for the former state director and two company directors.

They were all detained in an operation last Saturday.

The ex-Customs chief was arrested at the Kelantan MACC office while his two accomplices were nabbed at a hotel in Genting Highlands.

MACC chief Latheefa Koya had earlier said that the anti-graft body had frozen the accounts of the three suspects and organisations linked to them.

The Malaysian Insight previously reported that a local syndicate was behind the issuance of fake import licences for cigarettes and alcohol distributors to bring in the controlled goods.

The syndicate was active in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor and had issued more than 10 such licences since January. It was learnt that each license was rented out for between RM100,000 and RM200,000. – October 2, 2019.