PORT KLANG: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) has moved into phase two of its crackdown on e-waste smuggling here with at least 60 more containers flagged.
Sources told the New Straits Times that this next batch of containers could just be the tip of the iceberg with more than 41,000 moving in and out of the ports here daily.
A source revealed that efforts were underway to block the containers from leaving the port, as authorities have started a major coordinated inspection.
This operation will see a joint task force involving the MCBA, Department of Environment (DoE) and port authorities.
Physical inspections of flagged shipments will include sampling suspected e-waste for laboratory analysis to determine the nature of the materials and evaluating their commercial value and environmental risk.
“This is about closing every possible exit point.
“Once the containers are locked down, the team will move in to verify what is inside, take samples and build the evidentiary trail needed to move against the operators behind these shipments,” the source said.
Investigators are focusing on shipping routes, consignee details and documentation patterns to identify repeat players and possible local facilitators.
The intensified action comes amid growing concern over the scale of illegal e-waste brought into Malaysia, which enforcement agencies say pose serious threats to public health and the environment when dismantled or disposed of improperly.
The MCBA is part of the E-Waste Enforcement Special Task Force established with 12 other agencies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, police, DoE, Customs Department and the International Trade and Industry Ministry.
Port Klang MCBA commander Datuk Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal told a press conference here yesterday that the agency had stopped more than 125 tonnes of illegal electronic waste and toxic materials from entering the country.
[[nid:1366806]]
This was through a joint enforcement operation which uncovered falsely declared containers shipped from the United States, South Korea, Spain and Taiwan.
Authorities described the discovery as indicative of a growing global smuggling threat.
“Two containers contained e-waste, including used printers, desktops, central processing units and other electronic components, while two others carried shredded electrical cables and wires, classified as scheduled waste.
“A fifth container was found to be filled with commercial rubbish. All five containers have been detained and secured, and documentation is now being processed,” he said.
Nik Ezanee added that the illegal cargo had been declared as legitimate industrial materials in an apparent attempt to bypass port screening systems.
“Two containers from Busan, South Korea, and the Port of Norfolk in the US, were declared as ‘ABS flakes and lumps’, while shipments from Los Angeles and Valencia in Spain were listed as ‘aluminium alloy’.
“The container carrying general waste originated from Kaohsiung, Taiwan and was declared as ABS flakes,” he said, adding that one of the five containers had entered Malaysia two years ago and remained unclaimed.
He said investigations revealed that the container had been falsely declared, with no party coming forward to claim it since its arrival in the country.
“We are now investigating why one of these containers has remained here since 2024 without anyone claiming it.
“This raises serious questions about how long such containers can remain in the system without being flagged.” .
Nik Ezanee said authorities had begun profiling shipping agents, companies and individuals operating at the ports.
“We have started reviewing company registrations and standard operating procedures to identify system weaknesses that could be exploited by smugglers.
“The DoE has also taken samples from the seized materials for laboratory analysis to determine their classification and the estimated value of the shipment.
“This will form part of further enforcement measures and possible legal action,” he added.
The NST had reported that the MCBA on Tuesday checked several containers at Port Klang, where an undisclosed amount of illegal e-waste was detected.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
