PENAMPANG: A two-week surveillance of a shophouse in Donggongon city here led to a successful bust of a syndicate for contraband alcohol, fireworks and cigarettes on Sunday.
Police seized RM700,000 worth of contraband items during the 4.40pm raid, and detained eight individuals aged 24 to 46-years-old including a woman.
Sabah police deputy commissioner Datuk Razarudin Husain @ Abd Rasid said those arrested were the owner, manager, workers and supplier of the seized goods.
“The shophouse was used as a front and a transit store for the smuggled goods since last year.
“Among the confiscated items were 934 cartons of tinned alcoholic drinks, 13 boxes of bottled alcoholic drinks, 717 cigarette boxes of various brands and 124 boxes of fireworks.
“Police also seized four lorries, one van and a car worth RM66,271,” he added at a press conference here.
The police will seek Customs Department’s assistance in identifying the cost of taxes involved and further investigations were being carried out under Section 135 (1) (d) of Customs Act 1967 for the liquor and cigarettes( keeping or concealing prohibited goods), while the seized fireworks was under Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1957 (possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances).