Malaysian customs said on Wednesday that it had seized about 49.5 million ringgit (US$12 million) worth of advanced artificial intelligence chips this month, as authorities close in on a syndicate suspected of smuggling high-performance semiconductors through the country’s main airport.
Malaysia imposed export controls last year on the movement of advanced AI chips of US origin, following pressure from the United States to stem their flow into China.
On October 15, authorities found 30 server units containing advanced AI chips during an inspection at Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s free-trade zone, the airport’s customs director Aspalila Ag Tuah told reporters.