KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained a company owner for alleged involvement in a syndicate linked to false declarations of imported goods submitted to the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) in Port Klang.

According to a source, the suspect, a man in his 30s, was arrested around 5 pm yesterday during an operation dubbed Ops Celio carried out by the MACC Special Operations Division in the Klang Valley.

“Initial investigations found that the suspect is believed to have been committing the offence since 2020, acting as a ‘runner’ for individuals, companies, and shipping agents handling the entry of imported goods into Port Klang.

“The suspect is also believed to be a member of the syndicate involved in smuggling contraband goods from various countries, using trade-based money laundering as the modus operandi,” he said.

The suspect has been remanded until Sunday after Magistrate Ezrene Zakaria granted an application by the MACC at the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court this morning.

The source said Ops Celio was an integrated operation involving the MACC and the Malaysian Enforcement Agencies Special Task Force (MATF), comprising the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), JKDM and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

He said the operation at 14 locations targeted importing companies, individuals, shipping agents, and middlemen suspected of making false declarations on the quantity and type of goods imported into Malaysia to JKDM in order to evade import duties.