Customs seizes over RM5.4 million worth of cigarettes, alcohol in KK
KOTA KINABALU: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (Sabah) seized untaxed cigarettes and alcohol worth more than RM5.4 million in the state capital.
Sabah Zone Customs Assistant Director-General Datuk Mohd Nasir Deraman said a total of 177,381.80 liters of alcohol and 930,000 sticks of cigarettes of numerous brands were seized by enforcement teams in four raids between March 6 to 18.
“The first raid was made on March 6 at the Sepanggar port when Customs officers inspected two shipping containers and found 22,049.28 litres of alcohol worth RM850,837.62 that were being smuggled into the state.
“The second raid on March 11, was made in a store at Kampung Ramayah, Jalan Penampang/ Papar Lama in Penampang where enforcement team found 42,568.48 litres of alcohol valued at RM724,198.60 and 891,600 sticks of cigarettes worth RM975,013.44.
“This raid then led Customs enforcement team to an unnumbered house in Penampang on March 14, and seized 1,626.76 litres of alcohol valued at RM34,251.69, and 38,400 sticks of cigarettes worth RM36,864,” he told a press conference on Thursday.
Mohd Nasir said the third raid on March 15 was made again at the Sepanggar port after the Customs enforcement team spotted suspicious items inside four shipping containers.
A total of 89,088 litres of numerous alcohol brands valued at RM1,381,220.36 were seized in this raid,” he said.
The fourth raid on March 18 was also made at the Sepanggar port after two shipping containers were thoroughly inspected for suspicious items.
Mohd Nasir said 22,049.28 litres of alcohol of numerous brands were seized and were valued at RM348,290.
Based on investigations, all the items were being smuggled into the state from neighbouring countries.
“The modus operandi of all these four cases was to smuggle the items through the Sepanggar port by falsifying information on the manifests.
“Our enforcement teams are properly trained and are able to spot or identify suspicious items as they go through the scanner machines in the Sepanggar port,” said Mohd Nasir, adding that the cases are being investigated under Section 135 (1) (a) and Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.