Customs deputy director-general Datuk Sazali Mohamad said that more than 2.08 million sticks of clove and white cigarettes were uncovered when the department raided three housing units in Jerantut, Pahang and Marang, Terengganu on Sept 12.“Based on the various brands of the cigarettes that were stashed, we believe that they were brought in from Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam,” he told a press conference at the Johor Customs headquarters on Sunday .
He added that investigations were ongoing under Section 135 of the Customs Act 1967, including identifying the home owners of the units used for the illegal activities. In a separate case, Sazali said the department also crippled an attempt to smuggle illicit cigarettes from Malaysia into Singapore via the Causeway.
“The items, worth RM166,000, had unpaid duty estimated at RM564,000. The products were brought in from China to be sold in Singapore.