KOTA KINABALU: Cigarette smugglers in the state are believed to be taking advantage of children to do the dirty job in their bid to avoid detection.
Aris showing the confiscated cigarettes yesterday.
This was evident when the Marine Operations Force (MOF) here foiled an attempt to smuggle 3,700 packets of contraband cigarettes into the country and arrested three young suspects who claimed to be hired by smugglers to do the job.
MOF commanding officer ASP Mohd Aris Jambul said the 1.10am raid at Kuala Putatan near here yesterday, was based on a tip-off and continuous surveillance by MOF personnel.
“After waiting for four hours, our personnel managed to detect a speed boat and a car in suspicious circumstances near the beach.
“Three people were also seen unloading boxes from the boat into the car.
“As our personnel approached and identified themselves, the suspects then tried to flee the scene but were detained by our personnel,” he told reporters at a press conference yesterday.
Aris said further investigation found 3,200 packets of L.A and 500 packets of Premium Gold cigarettes, believed smuggled from Mangsi Island, southern Philippines, packed inside six boxes ready to be distributed around the city centre.
He also said the suspects, aged 12 to 24, were hired by smugglers to carry out the activity to avoid being detected by enforcement authorities.
“They (suspects) will be paid RM15 for every transaction that they make,” he said, adding that all the confiscated items, including the speed boat and car were valued at RM60,000.
The case would be investigated under Section 135 (1) (e) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries a fine of RM4 million and two years jail, if convicted, he said.
Meanwhile, Aris said MOF personnel managed to solve 10 cases under the Customs Act, from January till November this year, with estimated value seized at RM474,760.
He also thanked the public for providing valuable information and looked forward to such cooperation in the future.