LIMBANG: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (Customs), Limbang branch, on Friday (Sept 3) morning seized RM14,468.83 worth of cigarettes and liquors with unpaid duties following a raid held at a house at Jalan Batu 3 ½, Jalan Kubong.
The total value of the items seized including a van was RM37, 463.83.
According to Sarawak Customs director, Herman Shah Abdullah, in a statement, the enforcement team raided the house around 10.30am that day based on information received.
He added an inspection carried out at the house found 14,200 sticks of contraband cigarettes and 224.2 litres of liquors inside a van parked in the house compound and at the storage room of the house.
Herman said that the modus operandi of the offender was to use the house as a temporary transit to store the cigarettes and liquors before distributing them to markets around the Limbang area.
The female owner of the house, in her 50s, was detained to assist in their investigation.
Herman said that the case would be investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, which carried a fine 10 times the value of the goods or RM100,000 , or jail not less than six months and not exceeding five years, or both upon conviction.
The public are urged to cooperate and channel information involving cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, fireworks or drugs smuggling activities by calling Customs at its toll-free-lime 1-800-88-8855 or via http://aduan.customs.gov.my.
