The cartons of cigarettes uncovered during the Customs raid on a house in Siburan.
KUCHING: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department seized 1.172 million sticks of cigarettes, estimated to be worth a total of RM261,560, from a house in Siburan near here during an operation on Jan 3.
Customs Sarawak director Datuk Sharifah Halimah Tuanku Taha, in a statement yesterday, said the raid was carried out based on information that the department had received.
According to her, the house appeared to have been used as the storage facility for the cigarettes, without Customs approval.
“The house had to be forced open by our Customs personnel as the premises’ owner could not be tracked.
“The value of the seized cigarettes, including the unpaid duties, amounted to RM799,887.60,” said Sharifah Halimah.
The case is being investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of Customs Act 1967.