Tuesday November 16, 2010
Illicit ciggies and fireworks seized
PETALING JAYA: Customs officers have seized contraband cigarettes, fireworks and firecrackers with unpaid duty totalling RM3.76mil in two operations within four hours on the same day. Federal Territory Customs Department director Datuk Saadon Mohd Dros said no arrests were made in both cases as there was no one at the sites where the raids were conducted.
“We are still in the midst of investigations,” he said in a press conference at the enforcement division office here yesterday. The first seizure was made at 6.20pm on Nov 12, when KL Customs officers raided three lorries that were parked in an open car park area in Rawang, Selangor.
Colourful haul: (From left) Federal Territory Customs Dept senior officer Zulkifli Shahadan, enforcement officer Bun Sut Chau Lan, Saadon Mohd and deputy director Jaafar Mat Jawi showing the seized items at the enforcement division office in Kelana Jaya Monday.
Officers found 6.37 million sticks of cigarettes worth RM318,500 with unpaid duty of RM3.16mil in the lorries. Saadon Mohd said the land owner had cooperated with officers and had handed over the land rental agreement. “Based on the agreement, the tenant is a 39-year-old woman. “We are looking for her to help in the investigations,” he said.
At 10pm the same day, officers raided a shoplot at Kampung Baru Batu 11 Cheras after receiving a tip-off. They found 107,740 packets of fireworks and firecrackers worth RM354,032 with unpaid duty of RM230,120. Some 780,800 clove cigarettes worth RM93,696 with unpaid duty of RM375,252 were also seized.
