BY ANDY CHUA
SIBU: The Customs Department seized illicit cigarettes and alcoholic beverages worth a combined RM1.21 million in four separate operations carried out in June.
Sarawak Customs director Datuk Norizan Yahya said the operations were conducted by enforcement officers from the Sibu and Sarikei Customs stations.
“Investigations found that the syndicates used vacant houses as temporary storage facilities before distributing the contraband to the local market,” he told a press conference on Thursday (Jul 2).
In the first operation, conducted at about 7.15pm on Jun 5, Customs officers from Sibu raided an unoccupied house in Jalan Lilin following a tip-off.
They seized 7,184.64 litres of alcoholic beverages valued at RM189,154.11, inclusive of duties and taxes.
Later the same day, at about 8.30pm, officers raided another vacant house in Jalan Quarry, Sibu, where they confiscated 7,286.40 litres of alcoholic beverages worth RM189,655.88, including duties and taxes.
Norizan said that in the third operation, a team from the Sarikei Customs station raided a vacant house in Lorong Rantau Panjang, Sibu, at about 1pm on Jun 6.
“The operation resulted in the seizure of 490,000 sticks of illicit cigarettes and 16,751.76 litres of alcoholic beverages. The total value of the confiscated items, including duties and taxes, was RM812,986.71,” he said.
In the fourth operation, officers seized 855.36 litres of alcoholic beverages worth RM22,263.95, inclusive of duties and taxes, from a vacant house in Lorong Ulu Sungai Merah, Sibu.
All four cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 for possessing or storing prohibited goods.
Norizan urged the public to cooperate with the Customs Department in combating the smuggling of cigarettes, alcohol, firecrackers and dangerous drugs, stressing that such activities not only pose a threat to public safety but also cause substantial losses in government revenue.
Members of the public with information on smuggling activities may contact the Customs Department’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-8855 or visit the nearest Customs office.
