AKPS foils attempt to bring in 50 tonnes of 'prohibited' frozen pork via Port Klang

PORT KLANG - The Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) successfully foiled an attempt to bring in nearly 50 tonnes of frozen pork from a prohibited country during an inspection of two containers at West Port here on Jan 20.

AKPS director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said inspections revealed the pork, valued at RM660,137, originated from Spain - one of 14 countries currently prohibited from exporting such products to Malaysia.

"The containers were flagged at the documentation stage before a physical inspection was conducted by the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (MAQIS) team at West Port.

"It is possible that these imports were intended to meet local market demand ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations. We will also take action against the importing company," he said during a press conference at West Port today.

Shuhaily added that further checks revealed the import permit of the local company involved had already expired.

He noted that this seizure marks the second success within a week as a result of continuous monitoring and enforcement at the country’s entry points.

"On Jan 14, the same team also seized nearly 27 tonnes of pork from Belgium worth approximately RM495,740. Although Belgium is among the permitted countries, the seizure was made due to incomplete import documentation.

"Combined, the total value of the raw pork seized by the Port Klang MAQIS team in these two operations amounts to nearly RM1 million," he said.

He added that AKPS was also actively tracking the entry points of "suckling pigs" into the country following concerns over import compliance and public health risks stating that the investigation was launched following reports suckling pig has appeared in the local market, particularly ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations, despite Malaysia not permitting its importation.

"I have been informed by pork suppliers that our country does not produce suckling pigs, nor do we have approval to import them. Therefore, we will attempt to uncover the source of these suckling pigs, and I will share the findings once we are successful," he said during a press conference at West Port here today.

Shuhaily added that the appearance of suckling pigs in the local market raises significant questions regarding their entry route - whether they are passing through official checkpoints or being smuggled via illegal channels. - BERNAMA