KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will crack down on illicit cigarette peddlers operating in local government jurisdiction, warning that it will not tolerate their “gangster style” threats against enforcement officers.
Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Fairuz Renddan warned illicit cigarette sellers to stop their activities or face firm action by local authorities.
“We want to remind all illegal cigarette sellers in local council areas throughout Sabah to stop immediately. Do not behave like gangsters as if you own the area,” he said in a statement following the assault of a Sandakan Municipal Council enforcement officer by a group of illicit cigarette peddlers at a market in the east coast town.
“What you are doing is an offence and you should comply with the warning given by our enforcement personnel. You acted as if you own the place and even assaulted an officer who was carrying out his duty,” he said describing the Sandakan incident as “unacceptable.”
He said although offences for sales of contraband cigarettes fall under Customs, the ministry through local authorities, would intensify its efforts to curb such activities within areas under its respective jurisdictions.
Fairuz said that the ministry hopes to see the eradication of such activities in their respective councils.
“We will crack down and shut them down. We don’t want to allow such gangsters to sell their illegal cigarettes in any of our local authority areas throughout the state,” he added.
Following the incident that went viral on social media, Sandakan police have arrested a suspect and are looking for several others to assist in the assault investigation in which an enforcement officer suffered bodily injuries after he reprimanded an illicit cigarette vendor.
