TAWAU, May 23 ― The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) seized RM1.65 million worth of illicit cigarettes during "Ops Supply Raya” raids in this district from April 24 until yesterday.

Sabah Customs assistant director Datuk Abdullah Jaapar said the various types and branded cigarettes were worth RM363,364 with unpaid taxes amounting to RM1,288,504.60.

Among the biggest seizures was during a raid in the wee hours of May 15 at a house in Kampung Sri Aman, where several boxes containing various types of smuggled cigarettes worth RM242,900 were found,” he said in a statement today.

Abdullah said the raids will continue until May 25, adding that despite no arrests made so far, the raids have managed to cripple cigarette smuggling syndicates in this district. ― Bernama