MIRI: Contraband cigarettes and beer worth RM405,000 were seized by Miri police on Saturday during an operations carried out at two separate locations in Batu Niah.
Five local men, aged 26 to 44, believed to be caretakers of two premises in Batu Niah Bazaar and Simpang Ngu, were also detained to assist police investigations, said Miri police chief ACP Lim Meng Seah.
He added the two raids, carried out simultaneously at two shophouses in Batu Niah, involved police personnel from the Miri Criminal Investigation Department led by ASP Unang Giang and Inspector Erwin Geoffry Ussan.
The operations started around 11.30am.
At the first location, police discovered 157 boxes of contraband cigarettes of various brands, 984 cans of beer, 60 bottles of liquor and RM367 cash.
The seized items from the first location were worth about RM5,000.
At the second location, police seized 340 boxes of cigarettes, nine bottles of liquor and RM493 cash.
Total value of items seized from the second location amounted to RM400,000.
The cases are being investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
