SHAH ALAM, Sept 24 — The police crippled two syndicates actively smuggling cigarettes and liquor in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, with seizures worth over RM2.4 million in raids under Ops Kontraban from Thursday (September 18) to Monday (September 22).
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk M. Kumar said the raids, involving five premises in industrial areas in Selangor and one in Negeri Sembilan, believed to be used as storage warehouses, also saw the arrest of eight men and one woman suspected to be caretakers and workers of the premises.
The arrested suspects comprised six locals and three foreigners, aged between 19 and 58.
“Initial investigations found that the syndicates had been active for the past three months by renting warehouses in industrial areas and running business behind closed doors to avoid detection by the authorities.
“These two syndicates used ungazetted routes, either by sea or land, to smuggle the goods from neighbouring countries for the market around the Klang Valley,” he said during a press conference today.
Kumar added that the seized items included 4,720 cartons of various cigarette brands, 412 cartons of beer, and 124 cartons of liquor, as well as five vehicles: a Toyota Camry, a Toyota Harrier, a Toyota Innova, a Perodua Alza, and a lorry.
The total value of the seizures, including the vehicles, was estimated at RM2.412 million, while further investigations were ongoing, including to identify the owner of the warehouses.
Background checks on the suspects showed that two of them had criminal records involving possession of dangerous weapons and robbery, and had been subjected to action under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (POCA).
Kumar said they are still investigating whether the syndicates had links with any organised crime groups in the country.
“All the suspects were remanded between four and 14 days under Section 135(1)(D) of the Customs Act 1967 and Section 6(1)(C) and Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63, for further investigation,” he said.
