Malaysia customs seizes AI chips worth $13 mln at Kuala Lumpur airport

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s customs department said on Friday it had thwarted an attempt to smuggle advanced artificial intelligence chips worth 52.9 million ringgit ($12.93 million) through the country’s main airport this month. Malaysia imposed export controls last year on the movement of high-performance chips of U.S. origin, following pressure from the United States to stem the flow to ‌China of ⁠chips crucial ⁠for the development of AI.

On June 5, authorities carrying out an inspection at Kuala Lumpur International Airport found 72 server units containing advanced AI chips that had been flown in to the airport’s free trade zone, the airport’s customs director Zulkifli Muhammad told reporters.