SIBU: The Sarawak Customs Department seized white cigarettes, liquor and frozen goods in three separate raids in Sibu, with the total value of goods and duties amounting to RM2,267,310.69.
Sarawak Customs director Datuk Norizan Yahya said the raids at three different locations were conducted based on information received from its Intelligence Zone and involved an enforcement team from the Sibu Land Operations Unit, Sarawak Customs Department.
He said that the first raid, conducted on July 30 at about 9.30am, uncovered 1.2 million sticks of white cigarettes and 3,294.72 litres of liquor stored in an abandoned commercial building at Lorong Tunku Abdul Rahman 29A, with all the items valued at RM979,206.62.
"In the second raid on the same day at about 9.40am, the team seized 800,000 sticks of white cigarettes of various brands and 4,625.28 litres of liquor at an unoccupied house in Lorong Kong Yit Khim 8A, with the total value - including duties - amounting to RM703,232.38.
"The third raid was conducted on July 31 at about 8.30 am at a warehouse on Jalan Then Kung Suk. The team confiscated 64,524 kilogrammes of frozen goods stored in three containers, along with 792 litres of liquor, valued at RM584,871.69, including duties," he told a press conference here on Wednesday (Aug 27).
Norizan said all three cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
"Their modus operandi is to store the prohibited goods in abandoned or vacant premises before distributing them to the local market," he said.
He urged the public to assist the Customs Department in combating smuggling activities by contacting the Customs toll-free line at 1-800-88-8855 or the nearest Customs office in any state, in addition to assuring that the identity of all informants would be kept confidential. – Bernama
