BERNAMA – The Royal Malaysian Customs Department seized 4.5 million white cigarettes with unpaid tax worth MYR5.84 million found hidden in a container laden with used clothing on December 26 last year.
Penang Customs Director Rohaizad Ali said the cigarettes were seized during a follow-up inspection mounted by the state’s Customs enforcement team at Port Klang, Selangor.
“The container was declared to be laden with used clothing, but our inspection revealed 22,500 cartons containing 4.5 million sticks of white cigarettes hidden behind 175 big boxes of used clothing.
“The cigarettes are worth an estimated MYR1.37 million, with unpaid duties of MYR4.47 million,” he told a press conference yesterday. He said initial investigation found that the container heading to India originated from Thailand and was only in transit at Port Klang.
Meanwhile, Rohaizad said the team had also seized 52,790 cans of beer with paid tax worth MYR1.18 million in a container from India in another inspection at the same port on December 12.
He said the container was declared as carrying furniture and was registered under a fake company address.
“The seizure involved 52,790 cans, equivalent to 26,395 litres of beer, estimated to be worth MYR264,000, with a total unpaid tax of MYR917,083,” he said, adding that no arrests were made.
Rohaizad said further investigations into both cases are still ongoing under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 and Section 74(1)(e) of the Excise Act 1976.
