BY ARIANA FIDELIA
MIRI: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) here has effectively disrupted cigarette, alcoholic beverage, and drug smuggling operations, intercepting goods valued at RM3,128,914.04 between January and May 25 this year.
Sarawak JKDM director Norizan Yahya said that 60 seizure cases totalling RM1,060,674.20 in value, with related taxes reaching RM2,068,239.84 during this period.
“On May 7, our enforcement team raided a storage facility in Sepupok New Township, Block 8, Niah Land District.
“We discovered 570,000 sticks of various cigarette brands valued at RM41,200, potentially evading duties and taxes estimated at RM380,320. The contraband was hidden in an unregistered warehouse to avoid detection and mislead authorities before distribution to the local market,” he told a press conference today (May 31).
Under the Customs Act 1967, Section 135(1)(d), convicted smugglers face fines of up to 20 times the value of the goods or RM500,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
The minimum penalty is 10 times the value of the goods or RM100,000.
From January to May 2024, the department made 42 arrests in cases involving non-customs-compliant cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, with seized items and taxes totalling RM2,576,652.61.
Additionally, 18 attempts to smuggle drugs such as Methamphetamine, ecstasy pills and marijuana were thwarted. These drugs, totalling 22.58 kilograms with an estimated value of RM552,261.43, were seized through air and land operations.
“Drug-related charges under various sections of the Dangerous Drugs Act could lead to life imprisonment and a minimum of 15 lashes if convicted,” he added.
Furthermore, the department handled cases of undeclared dutiable goods valued at RM236,322.59 found in courier services. Another 18 cases involved foreign vehicles from Brunei misusing tax exemptions under the Customs Duty (Exemption) Order 2017, amounting to RM1,075,932 in estimated value and taxes.
