Johor Customs seize smuggled cigarettes worth RM9.45 million

JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor Customs Department raided a warehouse in Kulai on July 23 and seized smuggled cigarettes worth a whopping RM9.45 million including unpaid tax, the biggest seizure by Johor Customs this year.

Johor Customs director Sazali Mohamad said the raid carried out by the Johor Bahru Enforcement Unit at 2.30pm, found 8 million sticks of contraband cigarettes comprising regular white sticks and clove cigarettes, hidden in boxes that were covered by canvas.

Sazali said the cigarettes were believed to have been smuggled in from Indonesia via the sea route.

"These cigarettes are meant for the local market and believed to have been smuggled in via the sea route because some boxes were wet due to seawater contamination," he told reporters, here today.

Sazali said the seized cigarettes alone were worth RM3.8 million.

The case will be investigated under Section 135 (1) (d) Customs Act 1967.

Meanwhile, in a separate case on July 22, the Sungai Pulai enforcement division of the Johor Customs confiscated 3,840 cans of beer (duty not paid) from a Toyota Estima Aeras at Km 2.7 Jalan Sultan Ismail along the Iskandar coastal highway near Nusajaya.

"The contraband beer was hidden at the rear end of the vehicle driven by a 26-year-old local man. The confiscated beverage is estimated to be worth RM10,700, while unpaid duties amounted to RM37,300.

He said when the vehicle was stopped at about 6.45am, the driver failed to show any documents such as invoices, Customs Form 1, or any import permit while the vehicle had a false registration number.

"The syndicate's modus operandi was to use Multi Purpose Vehicles to transport the contraband liquor, before distributing it to interested parties," he said.

Sazali said the suspect had pleaded not guilty after he was charged at the Magistrate Court here on July 27 under Section 74(1)(d) of the Excise Act 1976.

-- BERNAMA