- Illustrative photo.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: A 32-year-old local woman who pleaded guilty to two charges under the Excise Order 2006 was fined BND39,720 by the Tutong Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (Oct 29).
The case was heard before Magistrate Normazdina Md Maskub during which Nur Ain Mohd Halid was charged following a raid by officers from the Kuala Belait Royal Customs and Excise Department (RCED) at a house in the RPN Bukit Beruang area, Tutong on June 21, 2023 at 9.54am.
During the operation, enforcement officers seized several contraband items, including 343 units of assorted vape products.
The other seized items included 16 sticks of cigarettes, 50 grammes of tobacco, one bottle of liquor and BND200 in cash.
Nur Ain was sentenced with two charges under Section 146(1)(d) of the Excise Order 2006 for two separate offences, which included the possession of various types of vape, cigarettes, and tobacco and the possession of liquor.
For the first charge, the magistrate ordered a BND34,720 fine or 14 months’ imprisonment in default of payment, while the second charge saw a BND5,000 fine or five months’ imprisonment in default of payment.
In total, the woman faces a combined fine of BND39,720 or 19 months’ imprisonment if she fails to settle the fines.
The confiscated items, including the vape products, cigarettes, tobacco, liquor, and cash, were ordered to be forfeited to the government.
The Royal Customs and Excise Department said the possession, sale or distribution of unlicensed excisable goods is a serious offence under Brunei’s laws. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
