Pahang Customs Busts Syndicate, Seizes Contraband Cigarettes Worth Over RM1.7 Mln

KUANTAN, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) of Pahang has busted a cigarette smuggling syndicate after seizing 2,577,800 sticks of white cigarettes valued at over RM1.7 million, including taxes and duties, through two separate operations in Pahang and Melaka.

Its director, Mohd Asri Seman said that in the first operation at about 6.50 am on Oct 22, they searched a lorry at Batu 93, Lebuh Persiaran Tun Khalil Yaakob, Kuantan-Segamat Highway, Muadzam Shah, Rompin.

“The lorry driver, realising he was being pursued while heading south, abandoned the bonded lorry, with the engine still running, by the roadside and fled.

“Upon inspecting the lorry, we found several brown boxes containing 1,680,000 sticks of cigarettes worth an estimated RM1.12 million, including taxes and duties,” he told a media conference here today.

He said the syndicate used the tactic of transporting the contraband early in the morning to avoid detection and that the cigarettes are believed to be for the market in the southern part of the Peninsula.

Meanwhile, in the second operation at 4.15 pm on Nov 3, Mohd Asri said they found 897,800 sticks of cigarettes, with taxes and duties estimated at RM599,730, in a double-storey warehouse at the Alor Gajah Industrial Centre, Melaka.

“This syndicate uses premises like warehouses to store untaxed cigarettes and further investigations into the ownership of the premises are ongoing,” he said.

The cases are being investigated under Sections 135 (1) (e) and 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.

Mohd Asri called on the public to assist JKDM in combating smuggling activities, especially those involving cigarettes, liquor, fireworks and vehicles, by channelling information via the toll-free Customs hotline at 1-800-88-8855 or going to the nearest Customs office.

-- BERNAMA