Customs-made GST swindle in Johor
Sunday, 15 Apr 2018
by nelson benjamin
BATU PAHAT: During the day, he worked as a Customs officer with access to records of companies suspected of not paying their Goods and Services Taxes (GST).
After work, he would pass on the information to his friends who would then call up the companies, offering discounts to help settle their GST cases.
The catch was that the money was to be banked into some of their personal accounts, not into Customs’ accounts.
These crooks have been targeting several companies, mostly in the logistics sector, and duped them of more than RM600,000 in Batu Pahat and Muar
Police have so far arrested at least one Customs officer in recent weeks and detained several other men who had impersonated Customs officers in a series of raids over the past few weeks.
The latest arrest was made several days ago when police arrested two men in Batu Pahat and seized numerous Customs vests and jackets.
Police have also recovered some of the cash.
All the suspects are in their 20s and 30s.
In one case, a company director lodged a police report alleging that he lost almost RM400,000 to a group of bogus Customs officers.
Sources said that the money was banked into the accounts of some individuals who promised to help “settle” the GST issue.
However, the company director got a shock when his premises was raided by Customs officers who claimed that his travels overseas were curbed as he had not settled his GST payments.
He then went to the Johor Customs headquarters to check on his company’s status and was informed that no payments had ever been made.
The officials urged him to lodge a report.
Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Wahib Musa, when contacted, confirmed that several arrests had been made over the case.
He advised companies not to engage with “agents” to reduce their GST payments but to deal directly with the Customs Department.
“Be alert and do not bank in money into their personal accounts,” he said, urging those with information to contact the police hotline at 07-2212999.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/04/15/customsmade-gst-swindle-in-johor-officer-and-his-friends-cheat-thousands-from-firms-with-unpaid-taxe/#jYSc3IZx5yqjBocu.99
