Peter Hii watching enforcement officers opening a manhole where sellers hide their contraband cigarettes.
SANDAKAN: Sandakan Municipal Council (SMC) President Datuk Peter Hii Chang Lik and several enforcement officers found smuggled cigarettes hidden in between walls at a premises during an inspection at Bandar Sibuga Jaya, Mile 8 here yesterday.
Peter Hii said that he had received a complaint from the public on the sales of contraband cigarettes despite a recent integrated operation that was conducted at the area with SMC, Royal Customs Department, Wildlife Department and other agencies late last month.
He said that he received information on the locations where contraband cigarettes sellers hid the cigarettes, including near a garbage can and in a drain.
“Cigarettes that we found are not a lot, it was found hidden in between walls at a premises near the garbage can,” he said.
Peter Hii said that SMC would continue to help the authorities such as the Customs Department in eradicating the sale of contraband cigarettes around Sandakan.
“SMC is fully committed in this matter as stated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Royal Customs Department during the launching ceremony of Ops Pacak recently,” he said.
He said that as public members were aware, Sandakan town is one of the hotspots for illegal immigrants and street children to actively sell contraband cigarettes illegally.
“This activity is tarnishing the good name of Sandakan; it is not healthy to the local community,” he said, adding SMC would not compromise with any premises that is found selling contraband items.
He warned the premises owners not to sell contraband items or SMC would not hesitate to revoke their business license.