Tongan customs investigate Malaysian report of car smuggling [1]
Friday, March 6, 2009 - 14:16. Updated on Friday, September 12, 2014 - 16:30.
Tonga customs officials today said they are investigating the truth of a report that Tonga was a destination for stolen cars being smuggled out of Malaysia.
"We are still investigating the veracity of the report," said Peter Nash, head of Tongan customs, "because there has been no previous imports of cars directly from Malaysia in the last 12 months.
"It seems strange to me that any organised movement of stolen cars would choose the Caribbean and Tonga."
He said that Tongan customs officials were making inquiries through their overseas counterparts following the report that appeared in a Malaysian online news service on March 4.
"The report said that Malaysian officials were contacting us but we have not received anything," said Peter.
Malaysia
The Star Online reported that Kualar Selangor Customs officers uncovered a network involved in smuggling out stolen vehicles to Trinidad and Tobago as well as Tonga. They believe that these are new destinations, as previously, smuggled vehicles usually ended up in neighbouring countries.
The report stated that smugglers had placed into each container four cars - two on the floor and two suspended from the container roof.
Investigations had uncovered eight Toyota vehicles in two containers at the Tanjung Pelepas port in Johor, the acting state Customs director Saadon Md Derus told the news service.
The Toyotas - four multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), three Altis and a Camry worth RM683,000 - were declared as furniture.
"Smugglers are getting more creative. Two vehicles were placed on the container floor while another two were suspended from the container roof.
"They are smuggling four cars in one container. Previously only two vehicles would be put in the same container," he told reporters after a dialogue session with traders on ways to curb the entry and sale of contraband cigarettes and counterfeit products.
It was learnt that the eight vehicles were stolen in Kuala Lumpur, Rawang and Petaling Jaya at the end of February.
To confuse enforcement officers, the stolen vehicles were shipped from Port Klang to Singapore before being shipped back to Tanjung Pelepas port for delivery to Trinidad and Tobago and Tonga.
"We are investigating a freight forwarding firm," said Saadon.
The report said that Selangor Customs would enlist the help of their counterparts in Trinidad and Tobago and Tonga to assist in their investigations.