KLANG: The Central Zone Customs Department has busted a locally-manufactured counterfeit alcoholic beverage syndicate, seizing 1,753 litres of alcoholic drinks.
Its deputy director Norlela Ismail said the syndicate would bottle alcohol for local manufacturing, with the seizure amounting to RM165,000.
The syndicate, she said, was operating behind the premises of a recycling company and a welding company in Batu 9, Cheras, Selangor, to evade from being detected by authorities.
Two men, aged 64 and 54, believed to be workers of the syndicate, were detained to facilitate an investigation into the seizure.
One of the detainees is a person with disabilities.
"On April 1, acting on information and investigation, the enforcement unit raided and inspected the premises in Batu 9. The premises were suspected of engaging in activities of bottling hard liquor.
"Further inspections also revealed that the bottles and packaging of various brands and types of hard liquor were suspected untaxed and having counterfeit tax stamp labels.
"The 1,753 litres of hard liquor is estimated at a total value of RM40,500, with an estimated unpaid duty amounting to RM124,500," she told reporters at the Customs Department Marine Base here today.
She added that further investigations are ongoing to determine if the alcoholic beverages were fake, as no machines to manufacture the drinks were found.
"We also found 100 cartons of empty bottles at the premise. The syndicate is believed to have been in operation for about six months, but it is still under investigation how long this company has been actively bottling the alcohol," she said.
Norlela said further investigations also revealed that the premises was unlicensed under the Excise Act 1976.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 for knowingly storing untaxed goods or prohibited items and Section 3(1) Law Reform (Eradication of Illicit Samsu) Act 1976.
