SIBU: The Sarawak Customs Department seized more than RM27 million worth of smuggled cigarettes, liquor and fireworks during a series of integrated operations, which ended early this month.
The contraband was shipped into the state via 12 containers, seized in Sibu and Sarikei during the two-month long operation.
Customs Department director-general Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy said eight of the containers, bearing contraband worth more than RM21.08 million inclusive of unpaid tax, were confiscated here while the remaining containers were found in Sarikei.
“A total of 103,650 cartons and 750 master cases of cigarettes worth about RM20 million inclusive of unpaid tax were found inside three of the 12 containers.
“Six of the containers had more than 60,000 litres of bottled liquor worth more than RM6 million.
“The three other containers were used to smuggle firecrackers packed in more than 1,500 boxes worth RM1 million,” he told reporters at the state Customs Department office here today.
Subromaniam said investigation showed that the smugglers made a false declaration to evade the authorities.
“For instance, in the Sarikei case, some of the items were declared as 1,200 boxes of machinery spare parts when it actually contained 1,654 cartons of liquor worth RM227,848.84.
“The 750 master cases of contraband cigarettes worth more than RM5.4 million was declared as furniture spare parts in the import manifest.
“The fireworks worth more than RM1 million were also falsely declared as furniture spare parts,” he said.
The cases, he said, are being investigated under Section 135 (1)(a) of the Customs Act, which provides for a fine of not less than 10 times and not more than 20 times the value of the goods; or the maximum three years’ jail sentence of not more or both.
Translated from Berita Harian