KLIA Customs foils attempt to smuggle RM10 million worth of ivory

Customs officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)hadon July 21 foiled an attempt to smuggle one tonne of African ivory pieces worth more than RM10 million.

Said KLIA Customs director DatukChikOmar Chik Lim, the ivorywere seizedduring an operation conducted at the air cargo warehouse, KLIA free zone, following intelligence gathered.

During inspection, he said, suspicious images were detected when 23 air cargo parcels were scanned.

"On checking the contents of the packages we discovered 1,001kg of ivory pieces with an estimated value of RM10.01 million," he said in a press conference atKLIA Customs Complexhere Monday.

According toChikOmar, the ivory pieces arrived via Turkish Airlines from Kinshasa International Airport, Congo which made a transit at Istanbul Ataturk Airport before landing at KLIA.

He said preliminary investigations showed the ivory were declared as baked clay and wooden samples while the importers involved were located in Selangor and Johor.

"On checking the air consignment notes we found the addresses to be fictitious," he said.

ChikOmar said so far no arrests had been made and investigations on the case were still ongoing.

If convicted, theoffenceunder Section 135 (1)(d) of the CustomsAct 1967, provides for a fine of between 10 to 20 times the value of the goods seized or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both, he added.

He said the ivory pieces were believed to beontransit at KLIA before heading for China, Thailand and Vietnam as ivory carvings were popular in these countries and could fetch RM500,000.

In the meantime, KLIA Customs also seized 35.15kg ofkhatleaves worth RM17,575 and 530 grammes of methamphetamine worth RM42,400 last month.

On the methamphetamine seizure,ChikOmar said the packages had arrived at the KLIA Mail and Courier Centre from Lagos, Nigeria on July 13 and were seized on July 22 after attempts to contact the recipientfailed.

ChikOmar said the four packets ofkhatleaves from Addis Ababa,Euthopiawere seized on July 14 and declared as tea leaves.