BENTONG: The Royal Customs Department has seized contraband cigarettes and alcoholic drinks worth more than RM500,000 in two operations in Johor.
Pahang Customs director Mohd Asri Seman said its Bentong enforcement branch conducted the first raid on a house in Johor Bahru at 3am on May 1.
A 44-year-old man from China was arrested during the raid but he has since been released on bail.
"We found liquor and various brands of cigarettes worth more than RM177,743 including tax," he told a press conference here on Tuesday (May 21).
Mohd Asri said in the second operation at 5am the same day, they raided a house in Masai and seized liquor and cigarettes worth more than RM354,906 including tax.
"We are trying to trace the owners of the premises. The syndicate used unoccupied shophouses to store uncustomed goods.
"The two seizures involved 2,413 litres of alcoholic drinks and 585,580 sticks of cigarettes,” he said, adding that the cases are being investigated under the Customs Act 1967.
He said the cigarettes and liquor were smuggled in by sea for sale in Johor.
Mohd Asri said that between January and May 10 this year, the Bentong enforcement branch seized various types of goods including cigarettes, liquor and firecrackers, worth about RM755,107 including tax.
"These cases led to the opening of 17 investigation papers and the arrest of six individuals for further investigation,” he said. - Bernama
