Johor police seize one million sticks of contraband cigarettes worth RM1.2m
MUAR, April 17 — The Simpang Renggam Battalion 5 Police General Operations Force (GOF) recently seized contraband cigarettes worth RM1.2 million after raiding a house in Naib Kadir, Bukit Pasir here.
A 54-year-old man, believed to be the “mastermind”, was arrested during the raid on the rented house last Friday at 2.30pm.
Muar police chief Assistant Commissioner Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz said the raid was initiated as a result of intelligence gathering by both the district police and the Simpang Renggam GOF about a month ago.
He said police confiscated 395 cartons or 57,000 sticks of kretek cigarettes and 5,553 cartons or 1.07 million white cigarettes.
“The total value of the seizure, including taxes, is worth more than RM1.2 million,” he told reporters at the Muar district police headquarters today.
Also present was Batalion 5 commander Superintendent Mohd Razali Melin.
Raiz Mukhliz said the cigarette supply was believed to have been obtained from Batu Pahat and Kuala Lumpur through the operations of the arrested mastermind, identified as “Ah Meng”.
He said the suspect, who is married with four children, is believed to have been actively selling contraband cigarettes for the past year.
“The suspect works as a contraband cigarette courier to buyers who are retail store operators in the Muar district," he said.
Raiz Mukhliz said the suspect’s modus operandi involves renting a house to be used as a storage area to keep the cigarettes before distributing it to the local market.
He said the suspect has been remanded for a week to assist in investigations under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
