Customs Dismantles Smuggling Operation Worth Over RM1.76 Mln

The Royal Malaysian Customs Department's Central Zone Unit III (LTAKL) successfully dismantled a smuggling operation involving various goods, with seizures valued at over RM1.76 million, including duties, in August. Customs Central Zone Enforcement Operations director Zulkifli Muhammad revealed that on Aug 13, a raiding team discovered 84 master cases containing 500,800 sticks of white cigarettes and 63 master cases filled with old newspapers, loaded on four commercial pallets. 'A thorough inspection found that the white cigarettes entered as cargo through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Free Zone without a valid permit, declared as 'Clothes and Jeans.' 'The estimated value of the seized goods is RM50,080, with duties and taxes amounting to RM335,536. Preliminary investigations revealed the white cigarettes had no documentation confirming that duties had been paid upon entry into Malaysia,' he said in a statement today. He added that on Aug 16, daily inspections at the Cargo Terminal Oper ator within the Free Commercial Zone at KLIA also discovered 804,000 sticks of white cigarettes valued at RM618,800, including duties and taxes, believed to be intended for export to Australia based on the final destination address in the manifest documents. 'The syndicate's modus operandi is to declare goods in the invoice as 'Raincoat and Cigarette' and use cargo delivery services to deceive the authorities,' he stated. Source: BERNAMA News Agency