Five-state blitz on illegal cigs

Fake fags: Illegal cigarettes seized during Ops Outlet 3.0 raids in Perak.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Customs Dep­­­ar­tment raided outlets in five states under Ops Outlet 3.0 to crack down on the illegal cigarette trade.

The raids were conducted simultaneously on Monday in Johor, Selangor, Federal Territory, Penang and Perak.

Sixteen outlets were found to be in possession of illicit cigarettes, including trading the items illegally.

If proven guilty, the business owners can be charged under the Customs Act 1967 which carries stiff penalties including imprisonment.

In Johor, two foreigners believed to be employees were arrested at the business outlets.

Apart from the Customs Act 1967, the Customs Department will enforce the Anti-Trafficking in Person and Anti-Smuggling of Migr­a­nts (Atipsom) Act to penalise business owners who use their foreign workers to dabble in illegal business and trade such as selling illegal and contraband cigarettes.

If a foreign worker is caught selling illegal and contraband cigarettes during the raids, the business owners are now liable to be charged under the Atipsom Act.

The foreign worker caught can also be prosecuted and deported from Malaysia.

While efforts to eradicate the illicit cigarette trade have been intensified on all fronts and have shown significant success, defiant retailers still continue to sell and profit from these smuggled illegal cigarettes that are cheaply made with unregulated tar and nicotine levels and unverified harmful chemicals.

With the nationwide launch of Ops Outlet 3.0, there will be more more enforcement against the illicit cigarette trade from the Customs Department, as well as more joint efforts between Customs with other law enforcement agencies. Laws will also be strengthened to punish errant retailers and business owners, including by revoking their business licences.

Until now, many foreign workers have been caught, jailed and deported but tthe business owners get off free.

Since Ops Outlet was launched in 2010, more than 11,009 cases have been investigated till 2015 involving more than 1.43 billion illicit cigarette sticks valued at RM116.9mil, which denied the Government of RM719.62mil in tax revenue.

Last year, 2,341 cases were investigated involving 397 million illicit cigarette sticks valued at RM206.46mil.

In 2014-2015, the various courts nationwide jailed 593 people between one day and one year for possession, distributing and selling illicit cigarettes and contraband.