SEPANG: Customs officers foiled attempts to smuggle cigarettes worth RM1.34mil by declaring them as bed linen and slippers in two separate raids at the KLIA Free Commercial Zone here recently.
The enforcement action was carried out by the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Customs Enforcement Division.
KLIA Customs director Aspalila AG Tuah said in the first case on July 29, an inspection of a warehouse at the free commercial zone uncovered 410,000 sticks of white cigarettes worth RM392,752, including duties and taxes.
She said the cigarettes were believed to have been brought in from a West Asian country before being distributed in the local market.
"The modus operandi was to declare the shipment as 'garments bed linen' to avoid detection by the authorities and the need for an import permit," she said at a press conference at the KLIA Cargo Customs Complex here on Thursday (Aug 13).
Aspalila said the company handling the shipment had been called in to assist with investigations.
In the second case, Customs seized 1.12 million sticks of white cigarettes worth RM948,640, including duties and taxes, on July 30.
She said investigations found that the cigarettes had arrived in Malaysia from an Asian country for transit purposes.
"The cigarettes were believed to be destined for a country in the Oceania region.
"In this case, the shipment was declared as 'slippers' to avoid detection by the authorities and the requirement for an import permit," she said.
Both cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(a) and Section 35D(2) of the Customs Act 1967.
Aspalila urged members of the public to cooperate with the authorities and channel information on any smuggling activities by contacting the Customs toll-free line at 1-800-88-8855 or their nearest Customs office.
