SEREMBAN: Customs have seized contraband alcoholic beverages and cigarettes worth almost RM5.5mil, inclusive of unpaid duties, in four operations in Selangor.
State Customs chief Muhammad Illyas Cheek Abdullah said more than 20,000 litres of alcoholic beverages and 4.9 million cigarettes, including heated tobacco products, were seized during the raids.
The seized contraband was worth some RM722,000 with unpaid duties totalling about RM4.76mil.
He stated that in the first raid on May 5, Customs officers seized more than 59,000 bottles of liquor of various brands from a warehouse in an industrial area in Klang.
"We also seized fake tax labels, boxes, empty bottles and related equipment to bottle the drinks.
"We believe they have been operating illegally as the excise duty on the product has not been paid," he said in a statement.
In the second raid on May 13, also in Klang, his men seized 1.1 million white and clove cigarettes packed in some 61,800 packets from another godown.
Muhammad Illyas said in the third raid on May 19, Customs officers seized some 1.8 million contraband white and clove cigarettes packed in 143,600 packets from a godown in Rawang.
"The modus operandi of the group is to store these contraband items in premises in industrial areas before selling them at cheaper prices in the market," he said.
In the fourth operation, also on May 19, his team seized 1.99 million heated tobacco products packed in 99,500 packets from another godown in Rawang.
He said the first case was being investigated under Section 20(1) of the Excise Act 1976, which carries a fine of between 10 and 20 times the amount of the unpaid excise duty or between RM100,000 and RM500,000.
Offenders can also be jailed between six months and five years upon conviction.
The three other cases are being probed under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries the same penalties.
