PORT KLANG, Jan 22 — The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) foiled an attempt to smuggle approximately 76 tonnes of frozen pork worth nearly RM1 million that was illegally brought in through West Port.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the first seizure involved a container from Belgium carrying 27 tonnes of frozen pork, following an inspection conducted last Wednesday (January 14).
“Inspections found that two containers were carrying animal meat products in the form of frozen pork imported from Belgium by a local company.
“Further investigations revealed that the consignment was brought into the port without complying with import permit requirements, and the case is being investigated under Section 15(1) of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011,” he said during a media conference today.
Also present was Port Klang Entry Point Control Commander Datuk Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal.
Shuhaily added that the second seizure involved frozen pork from Spain, which is among 14 countries subject to an import ban following the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF).
Up to 49 tonnes of frozen pork worth RM660,137 had been brought in, with the goods declared as “frozen boxes” by a local company that is now being sought by the authorities.
“We believe the influx of illegally imported frozen pork is due to high demand ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations,” he said.
Meanwhile, the AKPS is determined to trace the source of the sale of ‘baby pig’ or ‘suckling pig’ in Malaysia, which is believed to have been sold openly recently.
Shuhaily emphasised that the animal product is believed to have been smuggled illegally as it is not produced in Malaysia and is also not permitted to be imported into the country.
“Our country does not produce ‘baby pig’, and we also do not allow it to be imported. We will try to investigate and unravel this matter, as we are concerned it may be coming from the 14 countries involved,” he said.
Separately, the director-general said his agency is currently implementing procedures to recruit veterans of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) from various backgrounds.
“Approval has already been given, and we are now in the process of completing the recruitment procedures to avoid any issues later. Some soldiers serve for short periods, so this provides an advantage,” he said.
In November last year, Shuhaily said that the AKPS would begin the phased recruitment of 220 MAF veterans starting this month through an initiative announced in Budget 2026.
Recruitment for support roles will be carried out through contract appointments, in addition to the model adopted by the Wildlife and National Parks Department.
