TANGKAK: The police seized 8,125 cartons of smuggled cigarettes worth an estimated RM490,000, excluding taxes, during a raid on a three-tonne lorry left abandoned in Grisek here, Tuesday.
Tangkak District Police chief Supt Mohad Idris Samsuri said acting on information from the public, at about noon, a police team from the district headquarters conducted a five-hour surveillance on the vehicle left abandoned near the Grisek Health Clinic quarters.
He said as no one was found approaching the vehicle, the police conducted initial inspections and found it was locked, while the goods storage section contained cigarette boxes covered with a canvas.
“The was brought back (to the station) and further investigations revealed that there were 79 boxes of ‘John White’ branded cigarettes and 116 boxes bearing the brand ‘John JGI’, each containing 500 cigarette packs, however, no personal items were found.
“It is believed that the cigarettes were brought in for the local market and we are still investigating whether it was smuggled in through the waterways or by road,“ he said when met by reporters at the Tangkak police headquarters here today.
Mohad Idris said checks also found that the lorry was registered with a company in Ulu Tiram, Johor Baru, and the search for the suspects and the real owner was still ongoing.
He said the case was being investigated under Section 135 (1) (d) of the Customs Act 1967.
“We also urge the public with information on this case to come forward to assist with the investigation,“ he added. - Bernama
