Corrupt enforcement officers in Malaysia have been raking in close to $45,216 a month from vape smugglers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Free Commercial Zone (FCZ), according to media reports.
The officers allegedly collect bribes from lorries that leave the KLIA cargo inspection center, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki said, adding that the amount of bribes depended on the types of lorries being let through.
“For a one-ton lorry, the amount is 150 ringgit ($35), three-ton lorry (300 ringgit), five-ton lorry (500 ringgit) and above five tons is 750 ringgit,” he said. “Every day, some 20 lorries go through the FCZ and the amount of bribes collected is between 4,000 ringgit and 6,000 ringgit each day.”
He said the lorries being let through inspections by the enforcement officers were involved in various offences, especially vape smuggling.
Azam said that under a special operation code-named Ops Airways, the MACC seized items, including vapes, cash, computers and mobile phones worth 17.9 million ringgit.
“We believe the vape smuggling syndicate has been operating since 2023. Our investigations have just begun and we are in the midst of identifying other suspects and those involved in the smuggling activity,” he said.
