The seized packs of cigarettes. - CUSTOMS & EXCISE DEPT
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network): The Royal Customs and Excise Department (RCED) carried out five operations from April 24 to 28 in Kampong Lumut, Kuala Belait; Kampong Kianggeh; Kampong Saba Tengah and Kampong Selangan.
On April 24, enforcement personnel targetted Lumut bus stop in Belait District, where they detained two Indonesian nationals aged 49 and 54 for the alleged involvement in dealing with contraband.
Six cartons and 24 packs of cigarettes of various brands, as well as BND7,515 and MYR5 were confiscated.
Two days later (April 26), the team returned to the bus stop and uncovered 38 cartons of cigarettes in the bushes nearby.
On April 27, a 60-year-old permanent resident in Kampong Kianggeh was detained, along with 35 cans of alcohol in his possession.
In a separate operation in Kampong Saba Tengah, a 20-year-old man and his 22-year-old sister were detained for dealing contraband.
Sixty cartons, 163 packs and 21 sticks of cigarettes, 36 bottles of alcohol, and 47 boxes and four packets of fireworks were seized.
Meanwhile, a joint operation with the Halal Food Control Division under the Ministry of Religious Affairs on April 28 took place at a house in Kampong Selangan Bokok, Temburong District, during which a 44-year-old local was detained for possessing 275 bottles of alcohol, one pack and eight sticks of cigarettes and 12 kilogrammes of dubious frozen meat.
All suspects and contraband were brought to the agency’s Law Enforcement Division for further investigations.
