The containers seized from the ship.
SIBU (July 31): The Royal Malaysia Customs Department (JKDM) foiled an attempt to smuggle in about RM2,548,858 worth of contraband cigarettes and liquor into the state.
Sarawak Customs director Herman Shah Abdullah said that a ship and 27 containers were also detained in the process.
He added that five suspects, including four foreign nationals, aged between 22 to 50 were also detained during the operation which was conducted behind a company premises at Jalan Upper Lanang at about 8.15am on July 20.
“Upon inspection, the raiding team discovered 27 containers containing about 16,852 sticks of cigarettes and 369,672 litres of liquor of different brands valued at RM2,547,858 with unpaid duties worth RM13,389,000 that had yet to be approved by the Customs Department on a ship docked at the bank of the Rajang River at Jalan Upper Lanang,” Herman said in a statement.
He said all the five suspects were detained for further questioning.
Herman said the modus operandi of the suspects was to transport the goods using the foreign vessel and enter the country through the Rajang River before distributing the goods to the Sarawak market.
He said the case will be investigated under Section 135(1)(a) and section 135 (1)(e) of the Customs Act 196 for importing prohibited goods without a valid permit as well as engaging in transporting and transferring non-customs goods.
If convicted, the offender may be fined 10 times the value of the goods or RM100,000; or jail not less than six months and not exceeding five years; or both upon conviction.
“Smuggling not only harms the country in term of revenue loss but it also poses a threat to national security and the well-being of the people,” he said.
Herman also urged the public to cooperate and channel information involving cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, fireworks or drugs smuggling activities, by calling JKDM at its toll-free-line 1-800-88-8855 or via http://aduan.customs.gov.my.