Food products, pork meat placed in one lorry
PADANG TERAP - A lorry transporting pork sausages, chicken sausages, fish balls, fishcakes and other produce was detained by the Kedah Malaysia Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) today.
Upon inspection, the lorry also did not have a valid import permit.
Kedah Maqis director Hisham Abu Bakar said the lorry was detained at the Kota Putra Immigration, Customs,Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS), Durian Burung here at 6pm.
He said the inspections done by Maqis officers found a total of 240 kilograms (kg) of pork meat with other meat produce worth around RM3,000 and confiscated it for further actions.
"The seizure was for the purpose of controlling the entry of pork products to prevent the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF) disease and to address the entry of agrifood commodities mixed with non-halal products,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
Hisham said such checks will continue to be conducted more regularly to ensure that the biosecurity of the nation's food supplies are free from infectious diseases.
The case is being investigated under Section 11 (1) of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services At 2011 (Act 728) which provides for a prison sentence of up to six years or a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or both.