Penang JKDM Thwarts RM9.9 Mln Cigarette Smuggling Attempt In Port Klang

BUTTERWORTH, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- The Penang branch of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) thwarted an attempt to smuggle cigarettes, worth RM9.9 million, into the country after detaining a container at Port Klang, Selangor, on Dec 24 last year.

Its director. Datuk Rohaizad Ali said the container from Vietnam was seized by an Enforcement Division team at 10.40 am, and the results of an inspection found 930 boxes labelled ‘Furniture’.

“From this number, 908 boxes were found to contain 9.08 million white cigarettes suspected to be prohibited goods, worth RM9.9 million, including customs duty, while the remaining 22 boxes contained furniture," he said at a press conference at the State Customs Prevention Complex here today.

He said the syndicate’s modus operandi was to make false declarations by hiding the cigarettes in boxes supposedly containing furniture, and it is believed that all the cigarettes involved were for the local market.

Rohaizad said the importation of cigarettes is permitted subject to an import permit in accordance with the requirements under Part II, Schedule III of the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023.

-- BERNAMA