Five men, aged between 27 and 59, were arrested by the police in Kelantan during the ‘Op Kontraban’ operations on Saturday (Jan 20). They also seized contraband cigarettes worth RM750,000, including tax.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun revealed that the arrests and seizures were made through two separate raids at Simpang Empat Kampung Pauh Panji and Kampung Panji.
“In the first case, the police stopped three men who were travelling in a Perodua Kembara and proceeded to inspect a lorry in front of a shop at Simpang Empat Kampung Pauh Panji.
An inspection of the lorry found 300,000 sticks of untaxed cigarettes with an estimated value of RM225,000,” he said in a statement on Sunday (Jan 21).
After the three suspects were arrested, the police continued their investigation and arrested another man in a follow-up raid in the nearby area.
Muhamad Zaki said that based on information, the police raided and arrested another man, in his late 20s, in Kampung Panji at about 3.30pm, on the same day.
Following the interrogation of the suspect, a lorry in Kampung Padang Mokkan was discovered.
“An inspection on the lorry found approximately 700,000 cigarette sticks, believed to be contraband, worth RM525,000 including tax,” he said.
Muhamad Zaki stated that the total value of the seized cigarettes was estimated at RM750,000, including tax, and the case would be investigated under Section 135 (1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967. – Bernama
