JOHOR BARU, April 23 — The Johor Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) foiled an attempt to smuggle alcohol worth RM1.8 million, including in unpaid taxes, after inspecting a bonded cargo lorry, at Kilometre 13, Lebuhraya Lingkaran Kedua (north bound), Iskandar Puteri, last Thursday.

Customs director-general Datuk Seri Abdul Latif Abdul Kadir said following inspection, the lorry was found carrying 22,400 litres of alcohol in 36,708 bottles and cans of various brands, on which tax had not been paid.

The consignment was believed tp have been smuggled into the country a neighbouring in the south of the peninsula, he told a press conference here today, adding that the 10-tonne bonded cargo lorry, worth RM80,000, was also seized thus making the total value of the seizure, including duties and taxes involved, at RM1.8 million.

On the incident which happened at about 1.30 am and had also gone viral on social media, Abdul Latif said the raiding party began trailing the lorry from Lebuh Raya Sultan Iskandar, with several other vehicles, believed to be tontos, attempting to avoid the Customs vehicles from following.

However, the enforcement authorities, comprising the Customs and the police, managed to intercept the lorry and ordered its driver to stop, but the latter ignored the warning and continued to accelerate.

"The raiding party continued trailing the lorry for another 200 metres when at the Lebuh Raya Sultan Iskandar roundup, the lorry driver suddenly stopped the vehicle, reversed it and then rammed into the Customs’ vehicle, damaging the bonnet.

"Following the driver’s action, one of members in the raiding team fired seven shots at thetyres of the lorry to prevent the driver from acting more aggressively,” he said.

Abdul Latif said the driver then abandoned the lorry and fled on foot to the other side of the highway, but was apprehended about one kilometre away.

According to him, the goods were seized after the 44-year-old driver, who is a local and with two previous records, failed to submit valid documents on the consignment he was carrying. — Bernama