KOTA KINABALU: Three men believed to be involved in a smuggling syndicate have been arrested by the Sabah Marine Police.
Contraband goods such as firecrackers, cigarettes and alcohol worth RM8.3 million were also seized in a bust at a store in Kampung Bontoi in Tamparuli around noon yesterday.
The raid, which consisted of five officers and personnel, was held following recent monitoring that there were activities at the store since Jan 21.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said two foreigners were among those nabbed and they were aged between 20 and 40.
They were caught while moving items from a van into the store.
“Further checks found cigarettes, alcohol and firecrackers,” he said during a press conference, adding that there were no documents found for the items.
Also present were Bukit Aman Marine Police Commander Senior Assistant Commander Mohd Yusoff Mamat and Sabah Marine Police Commander Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Pajeri Ali.
The seizure involved 114,350 boxes of cigarettes worth RM5.5million after tax, 2,746 boxes of alcoholic beverages worth RM2.6 million after tax and firecrackers and a van worth RM96,235.
Omar added that the seizure was considered the biggest success for Sabah Marine Police to date.
He said those items were believed to have been smuggled from different countries to cater the market in conjunction with Chinese New Year.
“We are unsure how those items were brought here. Police are identifying the chain of the syndicate and investigating whether those items have permits,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of Customs Act 1967 (Amendment 2018) for possessing forbidden items.
Omar added that last year, the Sabah Marine Police had detained 1,439 individuals in 1,684 operations with seizures value at RM18,729,439.
Meanwhile, Mohd Yusoff said throughout last year, marine police had seizures worth RM88,611,917 in 3,316 operations with 4,315 arrests nationwide.
“Those cases were investigated under Customs Act 1967 (259 cases), Fisheries Act1985 (1,434 cases), Immigration Act 1959/63 (396 cases), Dangerous Drug Act 1952 (382 cases) and Controlled Supply Act 1961(135 cases).
“Besides that, there were 47 cases under Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007 and other 1,662 cases which fall under several Acts,” he added.