Customs officers in Bintulu have smashed a major smuggling syndicate, seizing contraband worth RM7.39 million — including over 4.3kg of suspected cannabis.

The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) Sarawak carried out a series of raids between April and May, uncovering:

• 7.2 million sticks of illicit cigarettes
• 8,100 litres of untaxed liquor
• 4.3kg of compressed cannabis
• 2 vehicles linked to the smuggling ring

The biggest haul came on May 19 when officers raided an empty warehouse along Jalan Bintulu-Miri. Inside: 5.42 million cigarette sticks and 2,788 litres of liquor, worth RM5.44 million in total — including unpaid duties.

Three other raids at abandoned houses in Taman Seaview and a vacant unit at Plaza Li Hua uncovered another 1.79 million cigarettes and 5,300 litres of liquor.

Location: Bintulu, Sarawak
Details: The syndicate used empty houses and warehouses as temporary storage before distributing to local markets. All four cases are being investigated under the Customs Act 1967 — offenders face fines of up to 20x the value of the goods or RM500,000, imprisonment of 6 months to 5 years, or both.

On the drug front, Customs intercepted four cannabis trafficking attempts through courier parcels addressed to Bintulu. Two local men were arrested. The cannabis cases fall under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 — which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Sarawak Customs director Datuk Norizan Yahya urged the public to report smuggling via the toll-free hotline: 1-800-88-8855.

Source: https://dayakdaily.com/customs-seizes-contraband-cigarettes-liquor-and-cannabis-worth-rm7-39-mln-in-bintulu/

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