Malaysia’s customs department seized 30 servers fitted with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips in a suspected export-control violation: the shipment, worth about 50 million ringgit (US$ 12.2 million), was intercepted in the free trade zone of the country’s main airport on Oct. 15 after being falsely declared as electrical components for re-export to another Asian country without the required permit.

Malaysia introduced permit requirements for the export, transit and transshipment of AI chips of US origin under pressure from the US to keep sensitive technology from being rerouted to China through third countries.