Contraband worth over RM870,000 seized at port
KUCHING: The Sarawak Customs Department seized 1,106 master cases of cigarettes worth RM663,600 and 5,800 cartons of beer valued at RM207,240 during an operation at the Senari Port here on Tuesday.
State Customs director Ahmad Jii said the commodities were found in three containers in the Customs and Examination area at the port.
According to Ahmad, the department’s Collaborated Border Management team acted on information and checked the containers inside of which were cigarettes and beer while the manifest had stated otherwise.
“A tailboard check on them discovered that the first contained cigarettes and the second and the third contained beer. Initial investigation shows that all the three containers arrived from Singapore and was imported by a company that does not exist.
“The manifest says that inside the containers are fake jewelleries, clothing, bags, pencils and shoes. On Dec 14, all the containers were delivered to our Enforcement Store for a thorough check,” he told a press conference at the store at Jalan Demak Laut 3 here yesterday.
Ahmad said the first container carried 444 master cases of Rave (red) cigarettes and 662 master cases of Rave (green) cigarettes.
The second container, he said, filled with 2,580 cartons of Foster’s Lager beer and 320 cartons of Brok beer while the third container had 2,020 cartons of Foster’s Lager beer and 880 cartons of Blue Ice beer.
All the commodities were confiscated under Section 114 of the Customs Act 1967 as they had been shipped in without a licence, he pointed out.
He said the import of the cigarettes and beer were prohibited under the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2012.
He added that only authorised licence holders could import these commodities which were subject to import duties, excise duties and Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“The seized cigarettes worth RM663,600 were estimated to generate an over RM7.68 million tax revenue while the seized beer valued at RM207,240 would have generated tax revenue of RM528,503.”
Ahmad said no arrest had been made and the case was being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.
Anyone found guilty under this Section could face a penalty between 10 and 20 times more than the customs duties or imprisonment of not more than three years or both.
Subsequent offenders could be fined between 20 and 40 times more than the customs duties or jailed not more than five years or both.
To a question, Ahmad said the investigation was on-going and the seized commodities would be destroyed within three months unless an export licence holder came forward to deal with them.
According to him, export licence holders can submit their applications to the department to take over the confiscated commodities for export.
He said these confiscated items could not be sold in the local market, but were permitted for export.
Members of the public are encouraged to provide information on smuggling by calling toll-free line 1-300-888-500 or Customs Office here at 082-333017 during office hours.
Among those present were state Customs deputy director Assan Mohamad and senior assistant director I (enforcement) Herman Shah Abdullah.