Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Royal Malaysian Customs Department foiled a smuggling attempt of beers, cigarettes and electrical goods worth more than RM800,000 following series of operations carried out this month.
Acting Assistant Director-General Saidin Jalaluddin said the first operation was carried out on March 4 at about 2pm at Sepanggar Port where the Kota Kinabalu Operation Division along with Customs Marine and External Warehouse Unit carried out inspection on three containers.
“Customs officers then found 41,472 litres of beer worth RM157,178.88 involving RM642,981.90 tax in which the manifest showed that the containers contained numerous items such as canned food and fish luncheon,” he told a press conference on Wednesday.
In a separate operation on the same day, he said customs officers carried out inspections on several entertainment premises in the city which led to the confiscation of some 751.16 litres of untaxed beers worth RM6,723.68.
He also said that the operation led to the arrest of six individuals to facilitate with their investigation.
Saidin said the third raid was carried out on at an unnumbered store and Pasar Tamu Brumas, Tawau on March 5 and 7 where 26,726 sticks of untaxed cigarettes worth RM25,015.28 were confiscated.
He said these contrabands were brought into the State illegally and stored in close areas to avoid detection.
The fourth operation saw the confiscation of wires and Light-emitting diode (LED) type of lights of various brands worth RM32,650 at a bus express terminal in Lahad Datu on March 6 at about 7.40pm, he added.
He also said that the cases will be investigated under 135(1)(a) and Section 135 of the Customs Act 1967.
Meanwhile, Saidin said the Sabah Customs Department has implemented various operations in the run-up to the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holiday.
“Various operations have been planned which began on March 1, in our effort to curb smuggling activities in the state which include borders, seaports and airports,” he said.
