PETALING JAYA: The Kelantan customs department has seized 1.72 million contraband cigarettes worth RM1.44 million after a raid on a house at Kampung Babong in Kota Bharu.
The department’s Kelantan director, Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long, said the raid, carried out on May 7, was conducted by the Kota Bharu enforcement branch’s operations team.
“We seized 1.72 million cigarettes of various kinds as well as an MPV. The cigarettes were valued at RM286,234. The tax duties totalled RM1.16 million,” Sinar Harian reported him as saying today.
He said the MPV, costing about RM30,000, was used to distribute the cigarettes and the house was most likely rented for the purpose of storing contraband cigarettes before their distribution.
The case is being investigated under sections 135(1)(e) and 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 for possession and distribution of contraband.