Biggest Cigarette Smuggling Syndicate Busted

PORT KLANG (Malaysia), Dec 23 (Bernama) -- The Selangor Customs Department scored a major success when they busted an international syndicate's attempt to smuggle in contraband cigarettes worth RM5.1 million (US$1.61 million) in a raid at West Port near here on Monday. Its director Azis Yacub said the seizure, believed to be the biggest in the country in recent years, also involved unpaid duties valued at about RM46 million (US$14.56 million). He said the enforcement team, after carrying out surveillance for about two weeks, seized 12 containers loaded on the CSAV Pyrennes ship, berthed at West Port at 2.30am on Monday (Dec 19). "Investigations revealed that 10 containers, declared as Omani marble slabs, in the export manifest, were loaded with more than 510,000 cartons of "Malimbo" cigarettes, while only two others contained actual marbles. "With this case, we believe that the Customs has busted the biggest attempt to smuggle contraband cigarettes into the country in recent years," Azis told reporters at Wisma Kastam near here, Thursday. He said the containers which were bound for Alexandria Old Port, Egypt, had undergone transshipment at Penang Port, before it stopped at Westport. Azis said initial investigations revealed that the cigarettes had originated from the United Arab Emirates. "A local man in his 30s, who carried out the shipment transactions was detained for questioning," he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 135 (1)(g) of the Customs Act 1967 (Act 235). For attempting to fraudulently evade Customs duties, offenders could face a minimum fine of 10 times the value of goods or maximum fine of 20 times the value of goods or three years' jail or both. (US$1=RM3.16) -- BERNAMA