Malaysia's customs authorities have seized 30 servers containing advanced artificial intelligence chips worth approximately 49.5 million ringgit ($12.1 million), as investigations intensify into a suspected semiconductor smuggling network operating through the country's main international airport.
Officials announced the seizure on Wednesday, October 28, linking it to several earlier attempts to move restricted technology through Malaysia without the necessary export permits.
The servers were discovered on October 15 during an inspection at Kuala Lumpur International Airport's free trade zone, airport customs director Aspalila Ag Tuah told reporters.
Investigators determined that the shipment had arrived from an unidentified Asian country and was intended for re-export to another country in the region.
The servers had been falsely declared as electronic components, allegedly allowing the shipment to pass through Malaysia without attracting scrutiny under regulations governing advanced semiconductor technology.
Authorities believe the operation was designed to exploit Malaysia's position as a transit hub while avoiding restrictions applicable to the shipment's onward movement.
A Malaysian company involved in facilitating the shipment has been summoned to assist investigators.
Officials have withheld details about the chips' origin and intended final destination while the investigation continues.
Customs authorities suspect the latest seizure is connected to a syndicate implicated in at least five attempted smuggling operations involving advanced AI chips.
Among those incidents was a June operation in which authorities intercepted 72 servers containing advanced chips at the same airport's free trade zone.
The combined value of chips seized in cases linked to the suspected network exceeds 100 million ringgit, according to customs officials.
Malaysia introduced permit requirements last year covering the export, transit and transshipment of high-performance AI chips originating from the United States.
The measures followed American pressure to prevent sensitive semiconductor technology from reaching China through intermediary countries.
Washington has sought to restrict China's access to advanced chips over concerns about their potential applications in artificial intelligence and military technology.
Malaysian authorities have not identified the shipment's ultimate destination or disclosed further details about the suspected syndicate.
The investigation remains ongoing.