BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: An Indonesian national, Nurfaiz, 47, was fined over BND 1.6 million (US$1.2mil) by the magistrate’s court after pleading guilty to two counts of illegal cigarette possession.
He was fined BND1,547,040 for possessing 1,638 cartons, 48 packets and 25 sticks of various types of cigarettes, and BND73,833 for a second charge of possessing 82 cartons and five packets of cigarettes. Nurfaiz faces 36 months imprisonment if he fails to pay the first fine, and 17 months imprisonment if he fails to pay the second.
Magistrate Qamarul Affyian bin Abdul Rahman handed down the fine on Monday (Aug 26).
The offences were discovered on Aug 24 after the Royal Customs and Excise Department discovered the contraband items during a raid at a worker’s residence in Jalan Pangkalan Batu.
The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all seized cigarettes. Cash, along with two mobile phones found at the scene, were also confiscated. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
