DENGKIL: The Royal Customs Department has seized cigarettes and kretek cigarettes worth RM3.2 million, including tax, in two raids on cigarette smuggling operations in Port Klang, Selangor, and Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, on Aug 1.
Wong Pun Sian, the enforcement director of Customs Central Zone, stated that in a raid on a container at West Port in Port Klang, 1.04 million sticks of Double Happiness brand cigarettes were discovered hidden in furniture.
“The Customs Form 2 (Export) declared the contents of the container as used furniture, but it turned out to be different from what was found,” he said. The cigarettes were valued at RM136,112, with an evasion of RM702,123 in duty and tax.
“Preliminary investigations show that the syndicate’s modus operandi was to conceal cigarettes in hidden compartments of specially made furniture, such as tables, to avoid detection,” he added on Tuesday (Aug 8).
Wong further disclosed that a delivery agent in his thirties was arrested to assist with the investigation.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 133(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967, related to the offense of making false declarations, as well as Section 135(1)(a) of the same act, pertaining to the importation of non-customs and prohibited goods, he explained.
In the second raid on a premises in Kepong, Customs officers discovered 3.032 million sticks of cigarettes from various brands, including LA, Gajah Baru, Surya, Sempoerna, Dji Sam Soe, and Toura. These cigarettes were estimated to be worth RM338,720, with an evasion of RM2.034 million in duties and taxes.
According to reports, no arrests were made during this raid. However, the Customs Department is actively pursuing the mastermind behind the smuggling operation.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
