Selangor Journal

Police nab 14 individuals, seize RM10.7 mln worth of contraband cigarettes, wildlife

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Police conducted eight separate raids in four states and arrested 14 individuals for alleged involvement in contraband cigarettes and wildlife smuggling activities, with the total seizure estimated at RM10.7 million.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali said the suspects, aged in their 20s to 50s and arrested from February 26 to March 22 around Selangor, Pahang, Sabah and here, comprised 13 locals — 12 men and one woman — as well as a Sri Lankan man.

He said that in the first and second raids in Klang and Kajang, police seized 983,160 sticks of illegal cigarettes of various brands that are estimated to be worth over RM1.3 million and a local man was also detained.

“A local man was detained in the third raid in Subang Jaya and police seized three marmoset monkeys and 70 birds of various species from the suspect’s shop, with the total seizure estimated at RM260,000.

“The case is being investigated under Section 60 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716),” he said in a statement today.

Following the man’s arrest, Hazani said police detained a local woman and seized two blue monkeys and three leopard cats in Sri Kembangan here, with a total seizure estimated at RM240,000, adding that the case would be investigated under the same section.

Hazani said that in the fifth raid, police arrested a local man and a Sri Lankan man in Kepong and seized 10,973.6 litres of contraband beer and 1,306.88 litres of liquor worth an estimated total of RM465,845.

“We also seized a vehicle and the total seizure is estimated at RM736,658 while the case is being investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.

He said that in the sixth raid, police seized 800,000 sticks of contraband cigarettes of various brands worth an estimated RM1.5 million in Puchong and the case is being investigated under the same section.

He added that two local men were detained on suspicion of being involved in smuggling and distributing the cigarettes while, in the seventh raid, police also seized 569,880 sticks of smuggled cigarettes of various brands valued at an estimated RM936,742.40 as well as a vehicle in Temerloh, Pahang.

He said that in the final raid in Semporna, Sabah, seven local men were held on suspicion of being involved in smuggling petrol and police also seized 60,200 litres of petrol, two oil tanker boats, one tugboat and one oil tanker truck, with the total haul estimated at RM5.5 million, adding that case is being investigated under Section 20(1) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.

Meanwhile, Hazani said that based on available statistics from January until March 22 this year, police have carried out 16 raids and arrested 26 individuals, with total seizures amounting to more than RM20 million.

— Bernama

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