Mancha (left) showed some of the illicit cigarettes and ‘Kretek’ that were seized today.
KUCHING: The General Operations Force (GOF) Sarawak today raided two houses at Taman Desa Wira here and seized illicit cigarettes worth RM561,674.
GOF Commander SAC Mancha Ata said the two houses were used as storage places to store and sell the illicit cigarettes which were believed to have been smuggled into the state.
He said that two men, believed to be the owners of the premises, were also arrested in the ‘Op Libas’ raid that was conducted from 8.30am to 12.30pm.
“The first raid found 2,886 cartons of illicit cigarettes and ‘kretek’ believed to be estimated around RM429,088 including taxes and at the same time, a 41 year old local man was arrested.
“While at the second raid, also in Taman Desa Wira found 919 cartons of cigarettes and ‘kretek’ estimated to be around RM132,586, and a 52 year old local man was also arrested.
“All of the cigarettes and two suspects were later handed over to the Padawan Police District headquarters (IPD Padawan) for further investigations,” he said in a statement today.
He added that the case would be investigated under Section 135 (1) (D) of the Customs Act 1967.
“If convicted, they can be fined RM100,000 or ten times the amount of customs duty or RM50,000 whichever is the greater amount, or imprisonment of not more than six months and not not more than five years or both,” he said.
Mancha also said that GOF would continue to curb illicit cigarettes smuggling activities and the public who has the information could channel the information by contacting GOF Brigade Sarawak at 082-587222.
“For further information, we have identified the modus operandi of the smuggling activities and the next course of operations will follow suit.
“Apart from that, we urged that the public to cooperate with us by providing information on the smuggling activities of illicit cigarettes and alcoholic beverages in the state,” he said.