Customs seizes RM5mil worth of illicit cigarettes along NSE

Negri Sembilan Customs director Mohammad Hafiz Ishak (left) showing some of the seized cigarettes which were packed in boxes seen in the background.

SEREMBAN: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has seized smuggled cigarettes with unpaid duties worth a total of almost RM5mil in separate operations on the same day along the North-South Expressway (NSE).

Negri Sembilan Customs director Mohammad Hafiz Ishak said the contraband, which was the largest seizure in the state this year, was found in two lorries.

The first lorry was stopped along KM441.5 of the southbound lane of the NSE at around noon on Nov 15 while the second was checked at KM342.2 four hours later.

"We are still probing if the smuggling was carried out by the same syndicate.

"Preliminary investigations show that the illicit cigarettes were being transported from the north to be sold in other states," he told reporters at state Customs headquarters here on Tuesday (Nov 28).

Mohammad Hafiz said the first lorry was found to be transporting 298 boxes containing 14,900 cartons of cigarettes.

"There were 2.98 million sticks in packets of 20 but with fake Customs labels and stamps to indicate that duties had been paid.

"We found a further 353 boxes containing 17,650 cartons with 3.53 million sticks of the same brand in the second lorry," he said, adding that both lorry drivers, in their 30s, had been arrested.

The lorries belonged to different companies.

He said the cigarettes were estimated to be worth some RM556,000 while the unpaid duties and taxes totalled some RM4.35mil.

The lorries, which were also seized, were valued at RM35,000 each.

Mohammad Hafiz said it was believed each packet of 20 sticks would be sold at RM8 while the actual market price was between RM13 and RM15.

The cases were being investigated under Section 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967 for non-payment of duties and Section 74 (1)(a) of the Excise Act 1976 for excise duty evasion and fraud.

Those convicted could be fined between 10 and 20 times the value of the goods or between RM100,000 and RM500,000, whichever is higher, or jailed between six months and two years, or both.

"I would also like to appeal to the public to help Customs combat such activities as this not only causes the country to lose revenue but is also a threat to national security and the people's well-being," he said.

The public, he added, could call the Customs toll-free line at 1-800-88-8855 to report such crimes.