Clampdown after 2,300 sex toys are seized

JOHOR BARU: Sex toy sellers beware – you might be on the Home Ministry’s radar as it clamps down on the sale of the prohibited items in the country.

The ministry’s enforcement and controls division secretary Nik Yusaimi Yussof said demand for sex toys seems to be on the rise not just online, as more outlets are selling them openly.

Four business owners in Johor, Sarawak, Penang and Perak – were arrested for selling a total of 2,295 sex toys, including dildos and vibrators worth more than RM70,000 as of Feb 15.

“One of them was a businesswoman in Masai, Johor Baru, who sold sex toys in her shop which was registered to sell health and cosmetic products.

“During the raid on Jan 29, we found sex toys displayed among other beauty products at the premises. Some of them were battery-operated while others were silicone-based products that sold for RM50 to RM300,” he said here yesterday.

A total of 2,012 sex toys worth RM37,350 were confiscated from the shop and storeroom, making it the highest so far this year, he added.

On Feb 6, the ministry raided a shopping mall outlet in Bayan Lepas, Penang and detained the owner, a woman, and seized 102 units of sex toys worth RM15,732.

On the same day, the ministry also seized 46 sex toys worth RM6,050 from a shopping mall premises in Ipoh, Perak and detained the business owner.

Nik Yusaimi added that in a raid in Kuching, Sarawak on Jan 18, the ministry detained a woman at a shopping mall outlet where it seized 135 units of sex toys worth RM10,890.50.

He said all of the suspects were in their 30s, and the sex toys were brought in from China.

An investigation paper under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and Section 292 (a) of the Penal Code for “eroding moral values” have also been opened for each of the cases, he said, adding that the ministry seized RM1.3mil worth of sex toys nationwide in 2023.

“It is an offence to distribute, sell, store, own and advertise such products in Malaysia as it could lead to adverse effects among the public, especially on the younger generation,” he added.

Nik Yusaimi said the ministry would continue monitoring the situation and take action where necessary, and urged the public to assist by giving information on such activities to the ministry via 03-8000 8000 or through www.moha.gov.my.