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.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, AKPS Director-General Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain revealed that the inspections showed the pork, valued at RM660,137, originated from Spain, which is one of the 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," he said. He noted that these imports might have been intended to meet local market demand ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations and mentioned that action would be taken against the importing company.
Further checks indicated that the import permit of the local company involved had already expired. Mohd Shuhaily highlighted that this seizure marks the second success within a week due to 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, valued at approximately RM495,740. Although Belgium is among the permitted countries, the seizure was made due to incomplete import documentation. Altogether, the total value of the raw pork seized by the Port Klang MAQIS team in these two operations amounts to nearly RM1 million.
Mohd Shuhaily also explained that AKPS was actively tracking the entry points of "suckling pigs" into the country following concerns over import compliance and public health risks. This investigation was launched after reports that suckling pig appeared in the local market, especially 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 stated during the press conference.
He emphasized that the presence of suckling pigs in the local market raises significant questions about their entry route, whether they are passing through official checkpoints or being smuggled via illegal channels.