Crime & Courts

Penang Customs Department seizes untaxed beer, 4 held

BUTTERWORTH: Four men, including a foreigner, were detained following a raid at a store of a factory in Simpang Ampat, which led to the seizure of beer worth RM123,931 with tax.

State Customs Department director Datuk Roselan Ramli said a team of Customs officers raided the premises about 11am on Oct 2.

He said checks led to the recovery of 12,432 cans and 480 bottles equivalent to 6,022 litres of untaxed beer.

He said they also seized a Mitsubishi Fuso, used to transport the beer stored in the premises. The beer was meant to be distributed to the local market.

"The seizure is worth RM61,665 with tax amounting to RM123,391.02. The syndicate's modus operandi is to operate in remote areas to avoid detection.

"The four men detained, aged between 28 and 38, are store workers," he told newsmen here today.

Roselan said the distribution of the beer was believed to be through bulk transport using lorries to avoid detection. The case is being probed under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 and Section 74(1)(a) of the Excise Act 1976.

"We urge the public to work together with us to weed out smuggling activities. Such activities not only cause losses to the country but can cause harm as well," he added.

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