SABAH CUSTOMS SEIZE 2,500 CARTONS OIF LIQUOR SMUGGLED FROM LABUAN

KOTA KINABALU, June 24 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) in Sabah seized 2,500 cartons of liquor worth RM347,223.60 including duty and tax smuggled into Sabah from the duty-free island of Labuan recently.

Sabah Zone Customs assistant director-general Datuk Mohd Nasir Deraman said the liquor was estimated to be worth RM68,766, while duties and taxes totalled RM278,457.60.

He said as a result of intelligence information, JKDM detained and inspected a lorry at KM1 Jalan Lama Papar-Kota Kinabalu, Kampung Novoung, Papar at about 11 pm, on June 12.

"The result of an inspection found that the lorry had a load of blue drums placed and arranged on top of the lorry. Further inspection found that there were 2,500 cartons of liquor labeled Malaysian Duty Not Paid (MDNP) of various brands arranged under the drums.

"A 43-year-old local man acting as a lorry driver was arrested to assist the investigation. Smuggling not only harms the country in terms of lost revenue, but also poses a threat to national security and the well-being of the people," he said at a press conference here today.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 135 (1) (e) of the Customs Act 1967 for the offence of transporting goods without customs for the purpose of evading tax.

In this regard, Mohd Nasir said the public is advised to cooperate by channeling information related to any smuggling activities on the Customs Toll Free line 1-800-88-8855, and that the identity of each informant is kept confidential.

-- BERNAMA