CUSTOMS officers in Penang have seized smuggled sparklers, firecrackers and electrical items worth almost RM1 million in a series of raids and inspections recently.

State director Hamisan Kalib said the sparklers and firecrackers were seized in a 4.30am raid on a business premises in George Town on January 9.

“During the raid, three men were in the middle of unloading boxes from a lorry into the premises. Upon inspection, 463 boxes containing 1.65 tonnes of sparklers and firecrackers worth RM87,000, with an unpaid tax of RM56,600, were found in the lorry.

“The items were brought into the state from Thailand by sea, destined to be distributed for the Chinese New Year celebration.

“The three men, ages 30 to 42, were also arrested for further investigation,” he told a press conference in George Town today.

In the second raid at the North Butterworth container terminal at 11am on Jan 10, the Customs also seized 510 electric hob cookers from China worth RM473,000.

Hamisan said the container belonged to a local company based in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, and the 34-year-old female manager of the company had also been detained for false declaration of import consignment.

In a raid at 4.30pm on December 16, he said they also seized 129 electric scooters worth RM369,000 from two containers at the same container terminal.

He said the container belonged to a company in Sungai Petani, Kedah, and the scooters were imported from China for the local market.

A 54-year-old man was also detained, also for false declaration of import consignment, he added. – Bernama, January 18, 2023.