Customs Department authorities in Malaysia have dismantled a criminal syndicate that allegedly used residential homes in East coast states to store illegal cigarettes before selling them on the black market. In a raid on September 12, more than 2.08 million clove and white cigarettes, valued at approximately RM625,000 (around USD148,000), were discovered in three housing units in Jerantut, Pahang and Marang, Terengganu. The department believes the cigarettes were illegally imported from Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Datuk Sazali Mohamad, deputy director-general of the Customs Department’s enforcement and compliance division, revealed that the raid was the result of information provided by the public. Two weeks of intelligence-gathering followed before authorities conducted the operation. Investigations are continuing under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, which includes identifying the owners of the properties involved in the illegal activities. The offence carries a penalty of either a minimum fine equivalent to 10 times the value of the seized items or RM100,000 (around USD24,000), whichever is greater; or imprisonment ranging from six months to five years, or both.
In another incident, customs officials intercepted an attempt to smuggle illicit cigarettes from Malaysia into Singapore via the Causeway. On September 6, a shipment of 830,000 white cigarettes, valued at RM166,000 (around USD39,000), and with unpaid duty estimated at RM564,000 (around USD133,000), was discovered on a lorry at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex checkpoint. The products had been brought in from China with the intention to sell them in Singapore. The 39-year-old lorry driver was arrested, charged and subsequently sentenced to a six-month jail term on September 19 at the Johor Baru Magistrate’s Court.
Sazali has urged the public to provide the Customs Department with any information related to smuggling activities by phoning the toll-free number 1800 88 8855 or visiting the nearest Customs offices.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
