Marine police nab man, seize cigarettes worth over RM600,000
GEORGE TOWN - The Region One Marine Police Force (PPM) detained a man and seized 528,000 sticks of kretek cigarettes worth RM609,840, including taxes, in a raid at Kilometre 166.5 of the North-South Expressway, northbound, in Sungai Bakap near here yesterday.
Region One PPM deputy commander Supt Rohizan Mohamad Saaid said his team had carried out intelligence and surveillance before stopping a van driven by a 54-year-old man at the Rest and Services (R&R) area in Sungai Bakap at 6 am.
"Upon inspecting the Toyota Hiace vehicle, we found 55 sacks containing 4,400 cartons or equivalent to 528,000 sticks of kretek cigarettes believed to have been smuggled in from Indonesia worth RM609,840, including taxes.
"Based on preliminary investigations, the man, who is from Penang, acted as the transporter by getting the supply from Terengganu and transporting them to Penang for the market in the northern states,” he told a media conference here today.
He added that the man was paid RM500 per trip and had been carrying out the illegal activities for the past three months, making two trips a week.
He said the suspect has been remanded for 10 days until Nov 10 and that the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(D) of the Customs Act 1967. - BERNAMA
