Contraband cigarettes worth RM1.9 mln seized
KUCHING: General Operations Force (GOF) seized 8,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes worth more than RM1.9 million (including tax) at 3.45pm Thursday.
Its commander SAC Dato Khaw Kok Chin told a press conference yesterday that the cigarettes were found inside a bonded truck driven by a 54year-old male at the Muara Tabuan Industrial Zone.
“We have been monitoring the movements of this syndicate for the past two weeks.
“Yesterday (Oct 17), our personnel managed to tail the truck from the Serikin-West Kalimantan border to Muara Tabuan where the seizure and arrest were made,” said Khaw.
The cigarettes are believed to be brought in by a local syndicate who gets their supplies from an international syndicate operating in a neighbouring country.
The cigarettes would be unpacked, repacked and distributed to Sibu, Miri and Bintulu, he added.
The suspect who failed to produce relevant documents for the cigarettes would be investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
Khaw said they had seized RM30,664,964 worth of contraband cigarettes and liquors, and illegally fell logs throughout Sarawak in the period between Jan 1 and Oct 17 this year.
They have also arrested 361 suspects (279 foreigners and 82 locals) involving 111 cases during the period.
GOF 11th Batallion commanding officer Supt Rosdi Inai and other personnel of different ranks were among those present at the press conference.