In Miri, Customs Dept seizes 20-foot container filled with over 1mln sticks of contraband ciggies

MIRI (Aug 22): The Customs Department seized more than one million sticks of illicit cigarettes and a 20-foot-long container, estimated to be worth RM842,212.40 including tax, at Eastwood Industrial Estate here on Aug 14.

Sarawak Customs director Norizan Yahya said a team of personnel from the Miri Customs unit conducted a check at a courier office around 11.30am.

“The team went to patrol around the industrial area, which later led to the discovery of a 20-foot-long container, which was locked in an open area next to an electricity substation.

“The team conducted surveillance on the container, but no one has come to claim being the owner of the container,” he said in a statement today.

He said the team waited for about an hour to no avail.

Norizan said the team then went to check the container, where they found 1,091,600 sticks of white cigarettes and kretek cigarettes, suspected to be duties unpaid.

He said a syndicate was using the container to conceal the illicit cigarettes and put it in an open area to avoid being detected by the authorities.

“The case is being investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries a fine of RM500,000 or up to five years’ in jail if found guilty,” he added.