KENINGAU: Police seized 871 boxes of smuggled cigarettes along with seven vehicles of various brands all worth about RM21,188,688 during an Ops Taring Daratan raid conducted by PGA BN21.
The raid took place at an unregistered warehouse on Jalan Patikang Ulu at 10.30am on Feb. 28.
AdvertisementKeningau District Police Chief, Supt Yampil Anak Garai, said 23 police personnel, including three senior officers, raided the location and arrested a 62-year-old Chinese male suspect believed to be the warehouse supervisor.
Following the suspect’s lead, police were taken to an unregistered palm oil plantation on Jalan Mongitom Bunga Raya Kikiran, Keningau, which was being used as a storage site for various types of cigarettes suspected to be untaxed.
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All detainees and seized items were taken to the Keningau District Police Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“All suspects admitted their involvement and had been engaged in cigarette smuggling for approximately five months, starting in early October 2024,” he said.
He said all suspects were responsible for distributing smuggled cigarettes under the orders of a Chinese man known only by the nickname “Meng.”
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});According to Yampil, the smuggled cigarettes were stored in the warehouse and palm oil plantation by “Meng” and were sold wholesale around the Keningau area.
Further investigations found that the warehouse was rented as a transit point for the smuggled goods before they were transferred to the plantation (the second raid location) for storage before distribution.
“Initial questioning of the suspects revealed they were paid a daily wage of RM50 and worked from 9am to 7pm every day,” he said.
On the same day at 5.30pm, another raid related to contraband intelligence was conducted at a premises located at 83-B3, Jalan Apin-Apin.
Upon inspection of a room in the house, police discovered various types of liquor suspected to be untaxed. A 31-year-old local was arrested. Authorities seized Carlsberg Danish Pilsner (250 cartons), Sirene (30 cartons), and Roku Jin (12 bottles) worth RM87,801.21.
The suspect and seized items were taken to the Keningau Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
The suspect admitted to being a “runner” involved in the illegal distribution of liquor for approximately three months.
The suspect worked under the orders of a Chinese man known only as “Ah Hao” and was responsible for delivering smuggled liquor, which was stored at the scene before being sold wholesale in the Keningau area.
Further investigations revealed that the house used for storage belonged to a Chinese man and was not registered under the arrested suspect's name. The contraband liquor was stored there under the rental agreement of “Ah Hao.”
The suspect was paid a daily wage of RM60 and worked from 7.30am to 7pm daily. The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
