KUCHING: Customs officials have foiled cigarette smuggling activities and seized 960,000 duty-not-paid cigarette sticks in an empty house at Jalan Kuap recently.
State Customs director Herman Shah Abdullah said a raid was carried out at 10.19pm by the Customs Kuching enforcement unit following information received.
“The team raided the uninhabited house, believed to be used as a store for illicit cigarettes.
“The estimated seizure value is RM168,000 and estimated tax and duties RM650,400,” he said.
It is believed that the illicit cigarettes are stored in the empty house before it goes to the local market throughout the district to be sold.
The case will be investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 which carries a fine of not less than 10 times the amount of customs duty or RM100,000, according to any greater amount, and not more than 20 times the value of the amount of customs duty or RM500,000, according to any greater amount, or imprisonment not less than six months and not more than five years or, both at once.
The public has been urged to assist the department in the fight against smuggling activities.
