GOF personnel with the confiscated items taken from banks of Niah River.
MIRI: The General Operations Force (PGA) believes it has crippled a syndicate smuggling beer and cigarettes into rural areas by foiling an attempt to smuggle 180 cartons of contraband beer and 1,018 packets of cigarettes worth RM68,000.
The seizure on Wednesday afternoon followed surveillance by a team of personnel from PGA Headquarters in Kuching and PGA Miri at Niah riverbank under the bridge towards Sepupok Village.
Commanding officer of PGA 12th Battalion, Miri, Superintendent Tan Hiap Seng when contacted confirmed the case but said no arrest has been made so far.
“Our men, tipped off by members of the public, arrived at the scene at 2pm to find 180 cartons of contraband beer and 15 large boxes containing contraband cigarettes, both of various brands, placed underneath the bridge.
When no suspect showed up after two hours of surveillance, our men confiscated the goods,” he said.
According to Tan, custom duties had not been paid on the beer and cigarettes brought from outside Sarawak for the rural market.
He believed the smugglers had used roads to transport the contraband, but upon sensing their actions were known by the authorities, changed to river transport.
He said the case and the smuggled items had been handed to the Customs Department for further action.