SEPANG: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has foiled an attempt to smuggle cigarettes worth RM16.06 million including taxes after seizing two containers at North Port in Port Klang near here last Friday.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Paddy Abd Halim said in order to deceive the authorities, the items inside the containers were declared as printed circuit boards.
He said however, further checks found the containers contained 20.6 million sticks of cigarettes believed to be contraband worth RM2.06 million and a tax of RM14 million.
“The modus operandi of the syndicate is to make a false declaration in the Customs’ form 1 (Import),” he told a press conference at the Dengkil Customs office here today.
Paddy said the seizure of the containers also led to the arrest of two male suspects who are in their 40s to facilitate investigations into the case.
He said the case was being investigated under Section 135(1)(g) of the Customs Act 1967 and Section 74(1)(a) of the Excise Act 1976.
Paddy said the latest seizure brought the total value of contraband cigarette seizures to RM32 million from January until to date. — Bernama
