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PUTRAJAYA: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department foiled 1,856 smuggling activities, involving various types of goods, with a tax value of RM350 million, as of March this year, said Customs assistant director-general (Enforcement) Ribuan Abdullah.

Ribuan said the amount recorded an increase of 182 per cent, compared with RM124 million reported in the same period last year.

He said that vehicle smuggling activities recorded the highest seizure value, of RM27.8 million, followed by contraband cigarettes (RM10.7 million), drugs (RM29.6 million), liquor (RM8.9 million) and textiles (RM3.9 million).

He added that among the types of vehicles seized were Toyota Alphard, Toyota Vellfire, Mercedes, and Yamaha RXZ motorcycles which had been repaired.

For the same period, the department also seized subsidised goods, which were to be smuggled into neighbouring countries, worth RM323,365, he said, in a press conference today.

“Subsidised cooking oil, petrol and diesel were involved in these smuggling attempts,” he said.

He said that Sabah recorded the highest number of smuggling attempts at 330 cases, followed by Kelantan (266), Sarawak (231), Johor (191) and Selangor 151 cases.

To increase the level of security at eight airports nationwide, Ribuan said that the Customs Department will install 40 units of baggage scanning machines, equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, by this May.

“With a scanning machine with AI technology, it helps us identify items more clearly, for example, what items are in the container. Image analysis from this machine is more specific,” he said.

Ribuan added that, by using the scanning machine which is currently being used, the department succeeded in cracking down on the smuggling of drugs weighing 586 kilogrammes.

He said that the department was also planning to procure a cargo scanning machine, equipped with a high-tech ‘multi-view dual energy drive through’ inspection system, to curb smuggling activities at the entry and exit points of the country, especially in Port Klang, Selangor.

“We (Customs) always try to ensure that smuggling activities can be curbed, with law enforcement and the use of the latest technology, in line with our vision to preserve the economy and control the border, towards a progressive country,” he said.