KUCHING: The state Customs Department seized firecrackers and fireworks worth RM385,000 this month – more than 10 times that seized for the whole of last year.
Its director Mohamed Khalid Yusuf said the unpaid duties for these smuggled goods amounted to RM250,000, adding that only RM30,700 worth of firecrackers and fireworks were seized last year.
He said the total amount of smuggled goods seized last year was RM7.35mil involving 1,242 cases with unpaid duties amounting to RM5.42mil.
Most of the smuggled goods were beer, cigarettes, rice and motor vehicles.
The amount of smuggled rice seized last year almost doubled to 1.03 tonnes or RM1.37mil, from 533,000kg valued at RM694,000 in 2001.
Most of the rice was smuggled through the border with West Kalimantan.
He said 49 smuggled vehicles worth RM1.62mil with unpaid duties of RM1.84mil were seized last year.
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