RM25.8mil worth of illegal cigarettes seized by Customs

Big catch: Ramli Johari (centre) showing some of the cigarettes that were seized in Johor Baru during a press conference.

JOHOR BARU: The state Customs Department has made its biggest seizure of illicit cigarettes this year, crippling two separate efforts to smuggle the contraband items worth RM25.84mil, inclusive of tax into the country.

Johor Customs Department director Datuk Ramli Johari said investigations were ongoing for both cases, which took place on April 3 and 13, and were believed to be not linked to each other.

In the April 13 case, a 42-year-old agent in charge of importing the cigarettes was arrested for bringing in the items worth RM13.581mil with tax.

Ramli said the arrest was made following the discovery of 20.528 million sticks of cigarettes, equivalent to 117,200 cartons, stored in two containers at the Pasir Gudang Port at around 7pm on that day.

He said the agent also falsely declared the contents of the containers, which was an offence punishable under Section 133(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967.

“The suspect declared that the containers were carrying wooden panels and polyethylene resin materials, when the containers were actually carrying the contraband items,” he told reporters yesterday.

Ramli added that in the earlier case, at 11.30pm on April 3, the department discovered 104,000 cartons or 20.8 million sticks of cigarettes of various brands in a lorry carrying two containers at the compound of an abandoned premises in Jalan Kempas Lama here.

“The cigarettes were valued at RM12.258mil with tax, and we are trying to identify and locate the owner of the vehicle and the containers,” he said.

Ramli added that the cases were investigated under Section 135(1)(g) of the same Act for evading duties and transporting prohibited goods, which carries a maximum charge of 20 times the duty imposed or RM100,000, whichever is more, and jail up to three years.

He said offenders could also be punished under Section 135(1)(iii)(aa) of the same Act, which carries a fine of not less than 10 times the value of the goods or not more than 20 times the value of goods, or jail up to three years or both.

Anyone with information on smuggling can call the Customs hotline at 1800-888-855.