LIMBANG: The logging roads from Miri to Limbang have become the main route for smuggling cigarettes into the district and Brunei.
In light of the illegal activities in the area, the police here had seized 6,770 cartons of smuggled cigarettes worth RM350,000 during an inspection at Mile 8 Jalan Kubong here, last Tuesday afternoon.
As a result of the inspection, the police had also detained three individuals from Miri, Sibu and Marudi, at around 2.30pm on the same day.
According to Limbang District Deputy Police chief, DSP Tega Bilong besides the arrests, the police also seized two pick-up trucks worth more than RM100,000.
“We estimate the overall seizure, including the two pick-up trucks, is RM565,000 ,” he said at the press conference here yesterday.
Also present were Limbang District Public Order Department head, ASP Khairul Ridzuan Ahmad and Head of Crime Prevention and Community Safety, Inspector Samsil Akai.
Tega also said the suspects had tried to escape but failed as the police managed to arrest them taking them and seized items to Limbang District Police Headquarters.
At the same time, the police found the logging roads from Miri, Long Lama, Long Seridang to Long Balau and Long Napor are located far away from settlements and are the favourite routes for smugglers.
In fact, they (suspects) are believed to be actively involved in these activities and have been using this route for a long time before their modus operandi was uncovered by the police on Tuesday.
The suspects, believed to be logging camp workers, were transporting the cigarettes from Miri to be sold to their customers in Limbang and neighbouring countries.
The case, Tega said would be handed over to the Royal Malaysian Customs (RMC) to be investigated under Section 135 (1) (a) of the Customs Act, 1967.
