KOTA KINABALU: An attempt to distribute contraband cigarettes across Sabah has been crippled by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department with the seizure of RM7.52mil worth of illicit goods in Sandakan.
Sabah Zone Customs assistant director-general Datuk Mohd Nasir Deraman said its team found the contraband goods hidden in a storeroom at Lorong Sedco 9, Mile 3, Sandakan in the 4.55pm Saturday (July 13) raid.
“We reacted to a tip-off and carried out the raid after conducting surveillance.
"A total of 5,262,280 cigarettes of various brands worth RM7,525,727.60, including taxes, were confiscated.
"We also seized three vehicles – a car, a pickup truck and a van. The total seizure is worth RM8,051,955.60,” he told a press conference at state Customs headquarters here on Wednesday (July 17).
Nasir said three men, aged 33 to 47, were also detained in the raid to help with the investigation.
He added that the suspects' modus operandi was to smuggle the cigarettes from neighbouring countries and store them in Sandakan before distributing them to the local market.
“The contraband cigarettes were largely brought into the eastern coastal districts (to cater to) demand from the lower-income group, especially plantation workers.
"Investigation is ongoing under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 for transporting untaxed goods with the intention of evading taxes,” he said.
If found guilty, offenders can be fined not less than 10 times the value of the goods or RM100,000 and not more than 20 times the value of the goods or RM500,000, whichever is greater.
Culprits may also face imprisonment for not less than six months and not more than five years, or both a fine and jail.
“Smuggling activities not only cause the country to lose revenue but also pose a threat to national security and the well-being of the people,” said Nasir.
He urged the people to continue channelling information on smuggling activities to the Customs toll-free line at 1-800-88-8855, and gave his assurance that informants' identities would be kept strictly confidential.
