SEREMBAN, March 11 — The Customs Department Negeri Sembilan branch seized smuggled white cigarettes and liquor, worth a total of RM13.4 million including tax, in separate raids in Northport in Port Klang and Pandamaran, Selangor, on February 26 and March 1.

Its director, Mohammad Hafiz Ishak, said that in the raid at noon on February 26, the team detained three containers in Northport and found 97,200 cans and 30,392 bottles of liquor of various brands and sizes.

“All liquor seized was worth RM3.2 million, and an offence was committed under Section 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967, read together with Regulation 30 (1) of the Free Zone Regulations 1991.

“Two local men in their 40s were also detained for investigation. The liquor is believed to be from Dubai and China, and for the markets of neighbouring countries,” he said, at a press conference on the seizure, here today.

He said that the three containers with the goods were seized under Section 114 of the Customs Act 1967 and Section 26(1) of the Free Zone Act 1990, and taken to the state Customs Enforcement Division office for further investigation.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Hafiz said during an inspection at about 4pm at a premises in Pandamaran on March 1, the department seized five containers and two lorries, which contained 591,000 packets of white cigarettes of various brands and 51,936 cans and 5,576 bottles of liquor, respectively.

The seized goods were without tax labels and worth RM10.2 million, an offence was committed under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.

“All seized containers and trucks were brought back to the Customs Enforcement Division office. The owner of the premises, in his 50s, along with two foreign workers in their 30s, were detained for investigation,” he said, adding that the goods seized were for the local market.

He also urged the public to channel any information related to smuggling activities through the Customs Toll Freeline 1-800-88-88 or http://aduan.customs.gov.my or the nearest Customs office, with the identity of the informant kept confidential. — Bernama