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Published: Friday January 18, 2013 MYT 7:40:00 PM
Updated: Friday January 18, 2013 MYT 7:42:26 PM

MMEA thwarts attempt to smuggle cigarettes worth RM500,000 in unpaid taxes

By M. KUMAR


PORT KLANG: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) officers have thwarted an attempt to smuggle contraband cigarettes worth RM500,000 in unpaid taxes.

Klang MMEA enforcement chief Maritime Captain Christopher Ravindran Dass said a team on regular patrol at 9pm Thursday spotted an 18m boat some 1.4 nautical miles off the Tanjung Sepat coast here that sped off when approached.

"When our officers approached the boat, it quickly sped off towards land.

"By the time we caught up with it, the driver of the boat had jumped off and fled into the nearby swamp,” he said during a press conference at the Klang MMEA headquaters in Pulau Indah Friday.

On the boat, MMEA officers found 5,700 cartons of contraband cigarettes.

Along with he seized boat, Capt Christopher said the total seizure was valued at over RM800,000.

"This is the first such case so far this year, and we will continue to monitor all hot-spots along the coast for such activities," he said.

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