Kota Kinabalu: A shipping agent company with its board of directors and staff were charged with three counts of making untrue declaration of manifest forms on three containers containing contraband cigarettes estimated to be worth RM22.7 million.
Harbour Services Sdn Bhd, the directors Alias @ Awg Alias Timbang, 73, Wong Siau Chin, 43, Yong Lin Ing, 49, staff Adelaide Amy Kilik @ Anastasia, 46, and Ellen Foo Chu Oi, 47, pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court Judge Azreena Aziz on Tuesday.
On the first count, the company and the five persons are accused of making the untrue declaration of manifest form on the container with the serial number CAIU8957449 and declared it as ‘Welded Wire Mesh’ but the container actually contained the contraband cigarettes.
The offence allegedly took place at 9am on March 17, 2021 at the CEA Sabah Port area, near here.
On the second count, the company and the five are accused of committing the similar offence on the container with the serial number CAIU9746923 and declared it as ‘Spare Part of Injection Moulding Machine’ but the container actually contained the contraband cigarettes at the same place and time.
On the third count, the company and the five persons allegedly committed the similar offence on another container with the serial number FBLU0257835 and declared it as ‘Holder Liner Electric Welding Machine, Dining Table Sets and Others’ but the container actually contained the contraband cigarettes at the same place and time.
The offence under Section 52(1) of the Customs Act 1967 and read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, and punishable under Section 52(4) of the Customs Act carries a jail term of up to five years, or a fine of up to RM100,000, or both, on conviction.
The court set June 26 for pre-trial case management and Jan 22 – 23 next year for hearing the case.
The court offered RM10,000 bail to the accused persons in two local sureties each.
Customs Department Prosecuting Officer Azizah Talibe appeared for the prosecution while counsel Gerard Chia defended all the accused.
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