PENGERANG: The southern region marine police crippled a cigarette smuggling syndicate with the seizure of RM2.9 million in contraband and the arrest of three men last night.
A police team mounted an operation at 10.30pm and managed to stop a lorry and two vans carrying 279,500 contraband cigarettes of various brands near an oil palm estate at Sungai Punggai in Sungai Rengit here.
Region 2 deputy marine police commander Superitendent Salehuddin Mat Zaman said police detained and arrested the three suspects, aged between 26 and 48, for investigation.
“The suspects detained while moving the cigarettes from the lorry into a van,” he said at the Region 2 marine police tactical base here today.