JOHOR BARU, March 4 — The Johor branch of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) seized 18,940 boxes of health products worth RM1.89 million in a raid on a premises in Kempas, here, yesterday.
The 4pm raid was carried out by 10 enforcement officers following a public complaint regarding a direct sales business suspected to be unregistered.
Johor KPDNHEP director Mohd Hairul Anuar Bohro said the raid, however, did not involve any arrests.
“The premises that were raided is the products’ storage facility and we believe the business has been operating since 2018.
“During the raid, there were five workers, aged between 30s and 50s, at the premises but they were not detained, only their statements were recorded to assist in the investigation. The same goes for the owner of the premises who is in his 30s,” he said in a press conference here, today.
Mohd Hairul Anuar said this is the first time that the state KPDNHEP uncovered a case related to the unregistered direct sales business and believed the product was manufactured, packaged in the country and priced between RM100 and RM105 per box to be sold nationwide through various methods.
“It (product) is also found to have a local product certification logo but we will investigate the authenticity with the relevant parties,” he said.
He added that running an unregistered direct sales business is an offence under Section 4 of the Direct Sales and Anti-Pyramid Scheme Act 1993 (AJLSAP 1993).
“It is considered as an offence as the authorities will not be able to track the business operations and administration of the company and expose buyers to the risk of counterfeit products, apart from the possibility of those who participate in direct sales activities of such company to be easily deceived,” he said.
Therefore, he advised the public to always be careful and to check the background of the company first, particularly the licencing aspect, before participating or engaging in any activities or direct sales business to avoid falling victim to fraud. — Bernama
