KEPALA BATAS – The Home Ministry’s Special Operations Force has raided two godowns and a store in Tasek Gelugor near here, leading to the seizure of contraband cigarettes with a total customs duty value of RM13.8 million.
The ministry’s Internal Security and Public Harmony Division director, Datuk Zainal Abidin Kassim, said the cigarettes were found in the warehouses and four small trucks in the operation in Kg Selamat about 5am yesterday.
The raiding team descended on the premises after receiving a public tip-off, he said.
“We seized 18,490,000 cigarettes from the premises and the four trucks parked on the premises. We arrested five local men aged between 36 and 63 to facilitate investigations,” he told a press conference at the Seberang Prai Utara (SPU) district police headquarters in Bertam near here today.
“The trucks, which belong to a seafood transportation company, were misused. And, travel permits were abused to transport goods for the illegal trade.”
Present were Penang police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abdul Manan and SPU district police chief Noorzainy Mohd Noor.
The authorities believe that the cigarettes were manufactured in a Southeast Asian country and brought to Malaysia by sea, said Zainal Abidin.
“The syndicate has been operating here for a long time, and initial investigations revealed that the contraband is for the northern region, Klang Valley and east coast.”
Besides the trucks, police also confiscated two cars and RM2,299 in cash, bringing the total value of the seized items to RM14.1 million.
Asked how the syndicate members were able to pass through roadblocks, Zainal Abidin said police allow private and commercial vehicles to continue their travel when the driver produces an authorisation letter, adding that random cars are checked, as doing so for each one would result in long queues.
He said police have obtained a remand order from a magistrates’ court here to detain the five suspects until July 4.
The case is being investigated under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code and Section 135(1)(b) of the Customs Act 1967, which deals with smuggling. – The Vibes, June 24, 2021
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