SANDAKAN: The Sabah Region 4 Marine Police Force (PPM) seized untaxed cigarettes and liquor worth nearly RM5.37 million in three raids in Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu early this week.
In a statement, Sabah Region 4 PPM Commander ACP Ahmad Amri Abd Rahman said the first raid was conducted at an unregistered jetty along the Seguntur River in Sandakan at about 1.30am on Sept 15 as part of a special joint operation with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), following intelligence gathering.
The operation resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old man and the seizure of 1.82 million sticks of cigarettes of various brands believed to have been smuggled from a neighbouring country, with an estimated value of RM2.564 million.
Also seized were a three-tonne lorry, a speedboat and three 200HP outboard engines. Acting on information obtained following the arrest and seizure, the raiding team subsequently located another speedboat hidden among mangrove trees along the Seguntur River.
An inspection of the boat uncovered 1.73 million sticks of cigarettes of various brands, with an estimated seizure value of RM2.326 million.
In a separate operation on Sept 14, Sabah Region 4 PPM raided an unnumbered warehouse in Kampung Dambai, Jalan Tuaran Bypass, and seized 43,200 cans of liquor suspected to be untaxed, valued at RM478,506.
The case is being investigated under Sections 135(1)(d) and 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967. Meanwhile, Sabah Region 4 PPM recorded 61 cases under the Customs Act 1967 between January and Sept 15 this year, involving seizures worth RM8,386,812.61 and 40 arrests.
The force said the latest success reflected the effectiveness of intelligence sharing and strategic cooperation with the MACC in strengthening enforcement efforts and combating the smuggling and distribution of untaxed goods.
It said enforcement operations would continue to be intensified, with greater emphasis on information sharing and inter-agency cooperation to curb smuggling activities.
