TUMPAT: The General Operations Force (GOF) seized 2,500 cartons of Manchester brand white cigarettes worth RM750,000 in Kampung Geting near Pengkalan Kubor here early this morning.
GOF 9th Battalion Operations Officer, ASP Mohamad Azlee Ismail said the 35-year-old lorry driver was also detained.
He said in the incident around 4am, members of the GOF 9 Strike Force motorcycle patrol unit spotted a suspicious lorry before following the vehicle for more than two kilometres.
“The truck driver was allegedly taking the cigarette supply from an illegal base in Pengkalan Kubor and was on his way to deliver it to another party.
“However, his lorry was detected by the authorities. He tried to escape but failed and he was detained at Kampung Geting,” he told reporters at the Kuala Jambu Police Station here today.
Mohamad Azlee said the confiscated goods and the lorry, all estimated to be worth RM790,000, were handed over to the Customs department for further action.
This seizure of cigarettes is the first case for GOF9 since taking over ‘Ops Wawasan’ on Nov 16.
“We believe smuggling activities are on the rise after the recent floods based on the latest cases recorded in the past several days,” he said. –Bernama