James Kon
The Royal Customs and Excise Department (RCED) through its Law Enforcement Division seized a haul of contrabands in three raids and two road blocks at Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien (SHOAS) Bridge and national housing scheme areas.
In the first operation on May 31 at a house in Kampong Anggerek Desa, enforcement personnel detained six foreign men aged 30 to 54 for the possession of contraband.
Four cartons, 15 packs and 62 sticks of cigarettes and cash amounting to BND536 were also discovered, believed to be proceeds from the sale of the contraband.
Meanwhile on June 2, a house in Kampong Serambangun, Tutong Disrict was raided and RCED personnel detained two permanent residents involved in the sale of contrabands.
The suspects are a 21-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman. Enforcement officers seized 18 cartons, 28 packets and 12 sticks of cigarettes along with two e-cigarette units and two bottles of e-cigarette liquid.
Another operation was carried out on the same day at a house in Kampong Sengkarai, Tutong District where RCED detained two locals – a 29-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman – for possession and sale of contrabands. Four packets of cigarettes, 11 bottles of alcohol, and fireworks and firecrackers were found.
Two simultaneous roadblock operations on June 4 in two separate locations – on SHOAS Bridge heading towards Bandar Seri Begawan and Kampong Panaga National Housing Scheme Area in Belait District – found three cartons, seven packs and 94 sticks of cigarettes as well as 11 e-cigarette units and four bottles of e-cigarette liquid.
The suspects and evidence were brought to the Law Enforcement Division office for investigation.
The RCED while thanking the public for sharing information related to smuggling and contrabands, also said information on smuggling activities can be relayed to 8714422/8721422.
