PAHANG JKDM SEIZES CIGARETTES, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WORTH OVER RM570,000

KUANTAN, July 18 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Royal Customs Department (JKDM) of Pahang arrested four individuals and seized various brands of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages worth RM579,133, including taxes, in three separate raids in the Teluk Kalung Industrial Area in Kemaman, Terengganu.

Pahang JKDM director Mohd Asri Seman said those detained to assist in investigations comprised three men and a woman, all in their 40s, working in the business premises inspected on July 3.

He said that upon inspecting the first premises at about 11.30 am, they detained two workers and found 84,808 sticks of cigarettes and 1,187.32 litres of alcoholic beverages worth RM92,950, including duties and taxes.

"In the raid on the second premises at the same time, we found 49,220 sticks of cigarettes and 1,062.27 litres of alcoholic beverages of various brands worth RM93,842, including taxes and duties, and detained a worker.

"We then checked another premises at 11.40 am in the same area and found 176,484 sticks of cigarettes and 2,683.33 litres of alcoholic beverages worth RM392,341, including taxes and duties, and detained a worker,” he told a media conference at Wisma Kastam here today.

Mohd Asri said the three smuggling syndicates are believed to have brought the goods in through sea routes before storing them in the business premises to be marketed to Chinese nationals working in the industrial area.

"Besides the detention of the four workers, including one who is a permanent resident, we are trying to track down the business owners to help in the investigation,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under the Customs Act 1967 and Excise Act 1976.

-- BERNAMA