Latest news with #customs
Free Malaysia Today
10 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
KLIA customs dept foils attempts to smuggle drugs worth RM2.65mil
KLIA customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said customs officers found 5.31kg of ecstasy worth almost RM900,000 at the cargo terminal in the KLIA free trade zone on May 16. (Custom pic) PETALING JAYA : Customs officers recently foiled attempts to smuggle a total of 30.14kg of drugs worth RM2.65 million through KLIA. KLIA customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said a man was arrested on April 17 for trying to smuggle out 14.65kg of cannabis buds worth almost RM1.44 million in his checked baggage on a flight to a European country. He said the man was subjected to a baggage inspection after his travel was blocked by the Border Control and Protection Agency. 'During the baggage scan, the man attempted to flee but was apprehended by customs personnel. 'The inspection found cannabis buds packed in vacuum-sealed plastic to avoid detection,' Bernama reported him as saying today. Zulkifli said on May 16, customs found 5.31kg of ecstasy worth almost RM900,000 smuggled in through a consignment at the cargo terminal in the KLIA free trade zone. He said the drugs, believed to have originated from a European country, were packaged and declared as laptop components. He said 10.18kg of methamphetamine, worth nearly RM300,000, was also intercepted on May 24. They were concealed in a consignment packed with clothing. He said investigations into the drug shipments are under way but face obstacles as the smugglers usually use fake company names and addresses. 'We have gone to the (premises) declared in the consignment information, but the companies either do not exist or have other addresses,' he said.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: Sars teams up with law enforcement to combat illicit fuel trade
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) is working with other law enforcement agencies to combat illicit fuel trade, which costs the fiscus approximately R3.6bn per year. In the past four months, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) has carried out several interventions. A joint intelligence team, comprising Sars and South African Police Service (Saps) officials, has identified 23 targets across Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. In addition, 13 criminal cases were registered with Saps, supported by Sars trade investigators, for customs and excise contraventions, and fraud. 'The intelligence-driven joint enforcement interventions included search-and-seizure operations targeting certain fuel storage facilities and depots, as well as random sampling of tanker transport to test the fuel viscosity and composition. In some cases, adulterated diesel – analysed in these investigations – had up to 68% paraffin content,' Sars said. Over the past decade, countries along the Maputo Corridor (South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique) have become primary targets of the illicit fuel trade, which is driven by organised criminal networks that smuggle and illegally adulterate fuel. Sars has established that some importers declare fuel amounting to 40,000 litres or less, whereas investigations reveal that up to 60,000 litres of fuel are imported. 'This is called under-declaration and documents are falsified to perpetuate this fraudulent activity. Sars has also detected a national trend, where many of the fuel-storage and distribution depots are involved in the adulteration of all fuel products, especially through illegal mixing of diesel with paraffin. 'Fuel adulteration costs the fiscus approximately R3.6bn per year, according to statistics by the International Trade Administration Commission,' Sars said. Faced with such carefully planned criminality, government agencies are working together more closely to detect, prevent and combat fuel adulteration, and enforce the Customs and Excise Act. Sars noted that the illicit economy is a global phenomenon that threatens South Africa's society, economy, and national security. 'Tax evasion, smuggling, illegal transactions, illicit manufacturing and fraud undermine the rule of law, erode public trust, distort markets, deprive governments of revenue, and enable corruption and organised crime. 'The pervasiveness of these illicit activities in our country demands that all enforcement agencies work jointly to curb their harmful practices. The illicit economy is complex and requires a whole-of-government response among public entities, the private sector, civil society, and international partners,' Sars said. Sars commissioner Edward Kieswetter expressed his appreciation to the Sars and Saps teams and other government departments for their untiring efforts to detect, combat and prevent the scourge of the illicit economy. 'The criminal syndicates engaged in these brazen acts have become emboldened to act callously, with no restraint, in pursuit of their rapacious and criminal gains. 'These syndicates can only underestimate our resolve to eradicate this criminality at their peril. These acts threaten the very foundation of our society. Our message is clear: we will spare no efforts to crush them,' the commissioner said. Kieswetter said State agencies will collaborate and work within the law to confront illicit trade. The joint intelligence team also found the following: - 953,515 litres of contaminated diesel fuel. - Six fuel depots that were in contravention of Sec. 37 of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964, as amended. - Assets and contaminated fuel to the value of R367,274,330, leading to further investigation, and criminal and civil liabilities. - Two so-called fuel 'washrooms', one of which is a rare mobile 'washroom' fitted on a transport truck, used to remove paraffin markers. - Twelve fuel transport trucks, which were identified after a suspected false declaration on importation of an average of 15,000 litres of fuel per tanker.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Jordan: Public Works Ministry, customs department discuss projects to rehabilitate border crossings
AMMAN — Minister of Public Works and Housing Maher Abul Samen and Director General of the Customs Department Major General Ahmad Akalik on Wednesday discussed key infrastructure projects aimed at modernising Jordan's border facilities and enhancing customs procedures. Talks during the meeting reviewed completed customs infrastructure designs and implementation tenders, including the new customs escort buildings in Wadi Al Yutum and Al Sultaniah, which will be overseen by the ministry's technical teams, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Attending officials stressed that the tender for a new customs escort facility in Azraq is ready for issuance later this month. discussions also covered constructing a secure truck lane for hazardous materials at the Omari border crossing, which will feature a 'fully integrated' electronic gate, as well as the "Drive Thru" initiative to streamline customs procedures by establishing unified service windows at the end of inspection lanes. The meeting also addressed operational challenges, particularly at the Omari border crossing, which is currently processing around 1,000 trucks per day. Akalik highlighted upcoming improvements, including the implementation of the "escorted convoys" system in cooperation with security agencies and the launch of a pre-clearance system for goods starting next month to accelerate customs processing. These projects align with Jordan's broader customs modernisation strategy, which focuses on integrated management systems and the transition to a unified electronic environment. Abul Samen reiterated the government's commitment to transforming border crossings into 'smart, efficient' systems that balance trade facilitation with national economic protection. © Copyright The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
$7.5 million of meth found in unaccompanied backpack on San Francisco flight
Contents of the unaccompanied bag. Photo: Supplied / Customs Customs officers at Auckland International Airport have prevented about 25 kilograms of methamphetamine from hitting the streets. The illicit drug was in an unaccompanied backpack which had arrived on a flight from San Francisco, US on 14 June. The bag was referred to Customs by border partners after some inconsistencies in x-ray imaging. Upon further inspection, Customs officers located a vacuum-sealed package inside, which tested positive for methamphetamine. New Zealand Customs Service estimate the amount of methamphetamine that was found had an approximate street value of $7.5 million. Not only that, chief customs officer, Tracy Henderson said had the package managed to cross the border, it could have caused around $26 million in potential harm and cost to New Zealand. "Customs continues to work closely with our border agency colleagues to disrupt the organised criminal groups behind these drug importations," she said. "Border agencies work swiftly to investigate any suspicious activity through our airport. It's the sharp instincts of skilled frontline officers that continue to stop illicit drugs from making it into our communities." Henderson said it has been a busy year for the Auckland Airport team, and many of the successes were the result of the trust and respect amongst partner and border agencies.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Pacific news in brief for 16 June
More than 20,000 malicious IP addresses have been taken down as part of Interpol's Operation Secure. Photo: Unsplash / RNZ Two people have been arrested in Nauru in connection to a massive cyber info-stealer bust. More than 20,000 malicious IP addresses have been taken down as part of Interpol's Operation Secure. Interpol said that infostealers use bots to steal information such as passwords and credit card details, trading this information on the black market. Participating countries included Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga and Vanuatu. A measure to address Guam's drug crisis by bolstering customs inspections at the island's commercial port underwent a public hearing on Thursday. Bill 108-38 by Senator Will Parkinson would authorise the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency to enter into a public-private partnership to screen all cargo coming into the Port Authority of Guam. Senator Parkinson said local forensic and customs reports make clear that unchecked cargo is the primary route for methamphetamine and other contraband entering Guam. He said more than 90 percent of shipping containers are not physically inspected. According to the Justice Department, crystal meth has become more prominent on Guam over the past decade. Australia plans to boost surveillance of Pacific Islands territorial waters, spending AU$477 million (US$311.5m) on aerial patrols for illegal fishing fleets, tender documents viewed by Reuters show. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit Fiji on Friday, local media reported, after the Fiji government approved a maritime security agreement that will see Australia fund a patrol boat for Fiji. Last week, Reuters reported that China's coast guard is taking further steps towards high seas boarding of fishing boats in the Pacific. A former Papua New Guinea Cabinet minister is heading back to parliament after winning the Central Bougainville seat. Jimmy Miningtoro was declared the winner on Sunday after a by-election resulting from the death of Father Simon Dumarinu ten months ago. Miningtoro had previously held Central Bougainville until the election of 2017 when he lost to Dumarinu. A Papua New Guinea business official is urging businesses to comply with the goods and services tax (GST) zero policy or risk the consequences. Independent Consumer and Competition Commission CEO Paulus Ain made the call during the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Inland Revenue Commission (IRC). He said business houses need to cooperate with the policy. He said everyone must work together in the interests of the country, and both organisations will make sure businesses do comply. Ain is calling on consumers around the country to report to the IRC and the Commission offices if retail outlets do not comply.
