SIBU: Customs enforcement officers here successfully seized a cache of duty-not-paid cigarettes and beers worth RM898,581.61 from an unnumbered two-storey terrace house last month.
Sarawak Customs Department director Norizan Yahya said that the raid was conducted along Lorong Kong Yit Khim around 11.55pm on May 29.
In the operation, the team managed to find numerous boxes that contained a total of 1,000,000 cigarettes and 894.96 litres of beers suspected to be duty-not-paid, kept in the house.
“No arrests were made despite the team waiting almost an hour for the owner of the goods to claim ownership.
“The contraband are valued around RM205,369.76 and its unpaid duties and taxes is estimated to be worth RM693,211.85,” he said.
Norizan pointed out that the syndicate’s modus operandi is to store and hide contraband goods in an empty house before distributing it to local customers.
The case is being investigated under Section 135 (1) (e) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries a fine of up to RM500,000 or imprisonment for a term of up to five years or both, upon conviction.
