KUCHING: Police seized contraband alcohol and cigarettes worth RM1.15mil in an 11-day joint operation with the Marine Police and General Operations Force.
The operation carried out from Sept 26 to Oct 6 resulted in three successful raids on premises in Jalan Canna, Jalan Tan Sri Datu Amar Sim Kheng Hong and Jalan Chan Bee Kiew.
Kuching OCPD ACP Ahsmon Bajah said they managed to confiscate 865,440 sticks of various branded cigarettes and 3,682 boxes of various branded beer, all of which are valued at RM1,157,123.05.
“Our investigations found that syndicates smuggling in contrabands from the (Malaysia-Indonesia) border, are using Kuching District as a temporary storage hub before they are delivered elsewhere.
“We arrested four men aged between 20 and 46 in the joint operation. They had turned a convenience store into a storage to keep and sell contraband items to fool the authorities.
“Investigations are still ongoing to find out the locations of where the contraband goods are delivered to,” he told the media at the Tabuan Jaya police station here on Tuesday (Oct 12).
Meanwhile, from Jan to Oct 6 this year, police conducted a total of 13 successful raids and seized various duty-not-paid cigarettes and alcohol worth RM4.1mil.
Police also arrested 16 men and four women (18 locals and two Indonesians) aged between 20 and 58.
“To date, two cases have already been charged in court while the rest are still in the process of prosecution.”
Various duty-not-paid cigarettes and beer worth RM1.15mil were seized in three successful raids in Jalan Canna, Jalan Tan Sri Datu Amar Sim Kheng Hong and Jalan Chan Bee Kiew. 
The four men who were arrested for selling contraband beer in a convenience store.
