Wednesday December 22, 2010
Customs seizes RM93mil contraband in 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territory Customs Department has seized contraband worth RM92.6mil so far this year.
Federal Territory Customs Department director Datuk Saadon Mohd Dros said the seizures were from 210 cases this year.
“Although the number of cases only rose by 18 compared with last year’s 192 cases, the value of items seized increased by almost RM20mil,” he said while meeting reporters at Federal Territory Customs headquarters yesterday.
Saadon said cigarettes and liquor accounted for RM62mil of the contraband seized. He said last year the department seized RM75mil worth of contraband.
Meanwhile, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department launched a nationwide enforcement operations to track and charge retailers trading in illicit cigarettes called “Ops Pacak”.
Custom Department assistant director-general Datuk Ismail Ibrahim launched the ops at Semenyih yesterday. He witnessed the destruction of 25,268kg of illicit cigarettes with a street value of RM5.88mil.
“This is a necessary step to curb the rampant illicit cigarette trading in the country which is costing the Government and its people millions in revenue,” he said.
