Kelantan customs foil attempt to smuggle cigarettes worth RM2 mln in Bachok

KOTA BHARU - The Customs Department (JKDM) in Kelantan broke up an attempt to smuggle cigarettes worth almost RM2 million including tax in an operation in Jalan Kuala Kemasin, Bachok, last Tuesday (July 11).

Kelantan JKDM Director Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long said the clandestine activity was exposed by the East Zone Risk Branch of the Kota Bharu enforcement division.

He said a subsequent search carried out at 1am last Tuesday found a five-tonne lorry abandoned on the roadside in Jalan Kuala Kemasin.

"An inspection on the lorry revealed as many as 2,500,000 branded white cigarettes suspected of being smuggled in by sea.

"The cigarettes were estimated to be worth RM208,000 in the local market while the total tax involved was as much as RM1,736,800,” he said at the JKDM office here today.

Wan Jamal Abdul Salam said Kelantan JKDM is still continuing the investigation to track down the owner of the abandoned contraband and lorry.

He said the modus operandi of smugglers is to use the sea route along the coast to bring cigarettes before loading them into trucks to be distributed to customers in the local market.

"All the cigarettes are suspected to be brought from Vietnam and we do not rule out the possibility of foreign fishermen being involved in the activity, but so far we have no clear information.

"Based on the large number of cigarettes, it is likely that they will be brought to the Klang Valley to be marketed,” he said.

He said the case is investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 where the guilty party could be fined or jailed or both. - BERNAMA