40 held for having contraband

2009/11/05

KOTA BARU: Forty people have been arrested for possessing smuggled cigarettes worth RM550,000 with RM4 million in unpaid duties in the first 10 months of the year.

Kelantan Customs Department deputy director Zakaria Yusoff said most of them were picked up at sundry shops and during operations along border areas.

The items were brought into the state from the west coast, he said before witnessing the destruction of 46,000 cartons of seized cigarettes yesterday.

All of them were released after paying compounds.

He also said the department identified Pasir Mas as the hot spot for sale of imitation cigarettes, followed by Tumpat and Pasir Putih.