M’sian Man Nabbed For Attempting To Smuggle Frozen Chicken Worth RM3,580 From Singapore To Johor

By Lara Kramer  •  06 Oct 2022 in News

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Strange cases of attempted import have occurred quite a few times over the years, but it seems that legislation and strict border control practices still occasionally fail to discourage all locals from bringing in items of their choice.

Perhaps the aftermath of the chicken rice crisis that once took Malaysians and Singaporeans by storm, Mothership SG reported the case of a 30-year-old Malaysian man who was apprehended while attempting to transport 210 kg of frozen chicken valued RM3,580 (S$1,100) from Singapore to Johor Bahru.

According to the report, on October 2nd at around 9:00 p.m., the man was halted by immigration officers on the Malaysian section of the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex as he was taking the Tuas Second Link from Singapore to Johor, lugging 14 boxes of chicken on his person.

Sin Chew Daily noted that the individual seemed suspicious during the customs clearance while travelling in a personal vehicle. Subsequent searches by immigration agents led to the discovery of the 14 containers of frozen chicken.

As stated by a spokeswoman for Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services, the man did not possess an import license or any sort of verification for his food shipments.

An investigation was then initiated in accordance with the 2011 Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act, under which the man now faces the possibility of a maximum six-year prison sentence and a RM100,000 (S$30,720) punishment if convicted.

The spokesperson also reaffirmed that in order to maintain high standards for food safety, Malaysian authorities will continue to ensure that no agricultural or food imports are allowed into the country without legitimate import permits.