Authorities Intercept Over 125 Tonnes of Illegal Waste Shipments at Port Klang
KLANG, Jan 28: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) has seized more than 125 tonnes of illegally imported waste after intercepting five shipping containers at Port Klang during a joint enforcement operation earlier this week.
Port Klang AKPS commander Deputy Commissioner Datuk Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said the containers were among 10 inspected during an operation conducted on Monday (Jan 26) in collaboration with Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the Port Klang Authority, and the Selangor Environment Department (DOE).
He said two of the containers were found to be carrying scheduled electronic waste, including used printers, desktop computers, and CPUs. Another two containers contained crushed cable wires categorized as scheduled waste, while one container was found to be carrying commercial waste.
“All five containers have been detained, with Westports securing the cargo pending further documentation checks and laboratory analysis by the DOE,” he told a press conference at Port Klang West on Wednesday.
According to DCP Nik Ezanee, the containers will be returned to their countries of origin once the necessary legal notices are issued.
Investigations revealed that the shipments involved false cargo declarations, a method commonly used to evade enforcement checks.
“Some containers were declared as ABS plastic or aluminum alloy, but inspections showed otherwise. In one case, a container was not recorded in the Customs information system, meaning it was never properly declared upon entry,” he said.
The seized containers originated from the United States, South Korea, Spain, and Taiwan. Some of the shipments dated back to 2024, while others arrived as recently as last week.
DCP Nik Ezanee stressed that Malaysia would not allow itself to become a dumping ground for toxic and hazardous waste, noting that the importation of scheduled waste is strictly prohibited under the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
He said AKPS enforcement actions are driven by intelligence-led operations, adding that Port Klang handled approximately 15 million containers last year, averaging about 41,000 containers daily.
“As a relatively new agency, AKPS is focusing on high-risk consignments identified through intelligence. We also have hundreds of containers listed for ongoing monitoring and further inspection,” he said.
He added that AKPS is strengthening its enforcement framework by reviewing standard operating procedures and assessing shipping agents and companies operating at the port to identify potential weaknesses and prevent future violations.