KOTA BARU: The state Customs Department recently seized 6.25 million sticks of illicit cigarettes, valued at about RM4.9 million, including unpaid taxes, in two separate operations.
Three men, all locals, were arrested in the operations in Kelantan and Selangor.
Kelantan Customs director Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long said the first operation in Selangor was carried out on Nov 4 and assisted by the Klang Port's container control unit.
In the operation, he said they seized six million sticks of illicit cigarettes worth RM4.6 million, including its unpaid taxes.
"The operation was conducted out at Port Klang at about 3.30pm, and the cigarettes were seized from a container.
"But no one was arrested in the operation," he told a Press conference here today.
He said initial investigation showed that the cigarettes were brought into Malaysia via the sea route.
"We suspected a syndicate involved in bringing the cigarettes from Cambodia.
"The syndicate will use Malaysia as transit point before sending the items to suppliers in Sri Lanka, India," he said.
On Nov 10, he said the department detained three men and seized 254,800 sticks of illicit cigarettes in an operation in Kota Baru.
He said three vans used to transport the cigarettes were seized in the operation, which began at 11.30am.
"The three men, aged between 30 and 47, were detained for possession of cigarettes worth more than RM200,000, including its unpaid taxes," he said.
Wan Jamal said they were released on bail of between RM20,000 and RM30,000 each.