41 seized luxury vehicles returned to Brunei

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Tan (left) and Wahab (second left) inspecting the luxury vehicles with Saiman (right) and Muhammad.

KOTA KINABALU: Forty-one luxury vehicles that were seized from a smuggling syndicate here two years ago were yesterday handed over to Brunei Darussalam police.

The vehicles, valued at a total of about RM4 million and comprising Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Mitsubishi and other makes, were smuggled from Brunei to Sabah in 2011.

State Deputy Police Commissioner SAC II Datuk Tan Kok Liang, who represented Sabah police at the handover ceremony, said the vehicles were handed over in compliance with a court order after police from both sides had carried out their investigations, including identifying the owners of the vehicles.

He said six local men and a Bruneian, believed to be the mastermind, aged between 26 and 54, were detained in September 2011 in connection with the case.

“Two of the suspects have already been charged in court and we have also received instructions to hand over the vehicles back to the Brunei police for further action,” Tan said.

The vehicles were received by Brunei Commercial Crime Investigation Department director SAC Pengiran Haji Wahab Omar at the Sabah Police Headquarters in Kepayan, yesterday.

Also present were Sabah Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Superintendent Saiman Kasran and Muara Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Superintendent Pengiran Haji Muhammad Pengiran Haji Metali.

The case, which was investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, was first highlighted in October 2011 following the arrest of the seven suspects.

It was reported that the luxury vehicles were all rented and smuggled from Brunei to Sabah, where they were sold to unsuspecting buyers.

After renting the vehicles, the syndicate would replace the plate numbers and forge the road tax information before selling them off in Sabah.

Sabah police have identified the buyers of the vehicles who willingly surrendered the cars to assist police in their investigations.