Shamsol (centre), flanked by his deputy commander Supt Ab Rahman Mat Hasan (right) and head of intelligence and operations unit DSP Abdul Rahim Abdullah, pose for a photo with the illicit cigarettes that were seized. – Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (May 19): Sarawak Marine Police Region 5 have busted an attempt to smuggle contraband cigarettes worth RM4.312 million into the state during an operation dubbed ‘Ops Contraband’ yesterday.
Its commander ACP Shamsol Kassim said a team comprising an officer and five personnel from the Marine Police intelligence unit had stopped a lorry with its load covered in a dark green canvas at Jalan Serian-Sri Aman near Simpang Jalan Gedong at about 5.50am.
He added that the lorry was on its way transporting the illicit cigarettes from Bintulu to Kuching for distribution in the local market.
“Acting on a public tip-off, our team stopped a 10-tonne lorry and inspected the cargo before uncovering 575 boxes of illicit cigarettes weighing 21 tonnes,” he said during a press conference at Sarawak Marine Police headquarters at Bintawa here.
He said his men also seized the lorry, which is valued at around RM150,000 and arrested the 52-year-old driver to enable an investigation to be conducted.
Shamsol pointed out the lorry driver possessed a valid permit from his company to travel inter-zone for the purpose of transporting essential goods and the permit might have been abused for the smuggling activity.
He said the smuggling syndicate’s modus operandi was to transport the illicit goods via sea route before entering the state through the ports or private jetties located along the Sarawak river.
The case is being investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 by an investigating officer from the Serian district police headquarters Criminal Investigation Department..
“Sarawak Marine Police Region 5 have been continuously carrying out our task under ‘Ops Contraband’ against contraband goods during this Covid-19 pandemic. Inspections are conducted on vehicles travelling inter-zones but not adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs),” said Shamsol.
Shamsol remarked their team has conducted a series of raids under ‘Ops Contraband’ and one of their biggest bust this year was in Sibu, where RM30.14 million worth of contraband cigarettes and alcoholic beverages (including taxes and a barge used for transportation) were seized.
The case is currently being investigated by the Bukit Aman police headquarters for offences related to money laundering.
“A committee for ‘Ops Contraband’ has been established at state police contingent level and it consists of the Marine Police, General Operations Force, Criminal investigation Department, Commercial Crime Investigation Department, Special Branch and and Air Force.”
Shamsol said the taskforce under ‘Ops Contraband’ seeks to carry out thorough investigations and take action against those found smuggling illicit goods into the state, including charging them in court and freezing their bank account.
He said investigations and intelligence gathering were also underway to identify the supply chain of the smuggled goods, including in Sibu, Bintulu and Miri,
“We will also work closely with Customs Department to enhance our inter-agency collaboration to prevent smuggling activities in the state.”
For last year, Shamsol said their team had managed to bust 50 smuggling attempts which contravened the Customs Act 1967.
Between Jan 1 and May 18 this year, the enforcement team had investigated 20 cases as compared to 27 cases in the corresponding period last year.