LAHAD DATU: The General Operations Force (GOF) arrested a man and seized duty-unpaid cigarettes of various brands worth RM4.11 million, hidden in four lorries in Jalan Segama, here, on Wednesday.
Sabah GOF Commander SAC Mohd Abduh Ismail said the team, acting on information received about the location of smuggled contraband cigarettes, raided the area at 1.30pm after an hour of surveillance.
“During the raid, a 33-year-old man who claimed to be a store employee was arrested, while three other suspects managed to flee through the backyard,” he said.
He said the team inspected the four lorries parked in the backyard and found 29,337 cartons of contraband cigarettes of various brands in the cargo compartments.
“Also seized were eight receipt books, four mobile phone units and the four lorries,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the same day in Tawau, he said the GOF also arrested a man and seized 193 boxes containing contraband cigarettes of various brands worth RM1.04 million hidden in a lorry.
“We received information at 12.15am to conduct intelligence in the Batu 13 area, and from surveillance conducted we found that there was a Nissan lorry on the move; personnel on duty trailed behind it before ordering the driver to stop,” he said.
Mohd Abduh said the results of an inspection of its tank found 193 boxes containing contraband cigarettes worth more than RM1 million hidden inside and further investigation found that the 39-year-old driver was on his way to Semporna.
“Also seized were the lorry and a mobile phone,” he added.
He said all arrests and seizures would be investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
