JOHOR BARU: The Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) has seized 425 tonnes of pinewood from Chile worth more than half a million ringgit at the Tanjung Pelepas port.

       Johor Maqis in a statement said that the goods were confiscated at about 3.45pm on Wednesday (July 21) during a routine check at the port.

       “An enforcement team noticed the Phytosanitary Certificate differed from the permit Maqis number that had been declared for the pinewood shipment stored in 10 containers.

       “The goods, worth RM508,889 and weigh 425,715kg, were confiscated for further action,” it said here on Thursday (July 22).

       The case is investigated under Section 13 of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 for submitting a false, inaccurate, or confusing permit.

       Offenders can be fined a maximum of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to two years or both, upon conviction, it added.