BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Customs Department seized 10.2 million sticks of smuggled cigarettes with a total value of RM7.4mil, including unpaid duties, during a raid in Port Klang, Selangor on Aug 1.
Penang Customs director Datuk Abdul Halim Ramli said based on information received from the public and surveillance carried out by the Customs Special Investigation Unit and the Penang Customs Enforcement unit, a container was seized in Port Klang at 1.10pm on Aug 1.
"The container was later taken to the Penang Enforcement division for further investigations. After carrying a detailed Inspection of the container, 10.2 million cigarettes worth RM816,800 with unpaid duties were found.
"Unpaid duties for the cigarettes is RM6.542mil. The total value is therefore RM7.4mil," said Abdul Halim when met by reporters at the Customs Enforcement Store in Bagan Jermal, here on Wednesday (Aug 10).
Initial investigations revealed that the entry of the container was handled by a Kuala Lumpur-based shipping company with a branch in Port Klang.
Abdul Halim said based on the documents obtained, the cigarettes were brought in from a country in central Asia. Investigations are being carried out to determine the suspects involved.
The modus operandi of the company is to declare the goods in the container as canned mushrooms. A check with the Registrar of Companies revealed that the company's nature of business and address were false.
"There have been no arrests yet because the documents were only from the shipping agent. However, we are confident of detaining suspects involved in smuggling the cigarettes," he said adding that the case would be investigated under Section 135(1)(e) and Section 135(1)(g) of the Customs Act 1967 and Section 74(1) (e) of the Excise Act 1976. – Bernama
