KUCHING, Dec 18: The General Operation Force (PGA) Sarawak Bridged arrested one local man and seized a total of 3, 908 cartons of contraband cigarettes estimated to be worth RM 626,469 during Ops Benteng and Ops Libas raid, today.
Sarawak PGA commander SAC Mancha Ata in a statement said the raid was conducted by a team from the Sarawak PGA intelligence unit at 8 am.
According to Mancha, following intelligence, the team had followed a vehicle to a house in the city areas, which is believed to be used as storage for contraband cigarettes, and arrested a local man, who is the caretaker of the house.
“Upon further inspection, they also found a total of 2,858 cartons of white cigarettes and 1,050 cartons of kretek cigarettes, together with a compact multi-purpose vehicle which is believed to be using a fake plate number. The total value of the seized items was estimated to be RM626, 460,” he said.
Mancha added the case was later handed over to Padawan Police headquarter (IPD Padawan) for further action and the case is being investigated under Section 135 (1) (D) of the Customs Act 1967.
Meanwhile, in the second case, Mancha revealed that on Dec 17, at around 9 pm, a team of intelligence unit from Intelligence Company C 12th Battalion PGA, who was doing a routine patrol along Limbang riverbanks area in Ujung Jalan Pandaruan, and has come across a group of men who were unloading goods into a boat while behaving suspiciously.
He said, the men however fled after realising the police presence, and upon further inspection, the police have found a total of 15 cartons of beer, 6,800 sticks of cigarettes of various brands, including three units of motorcycle worth RM32,500, and the case is also being investigated under Section 135 (1) (D) of the Customs Act 1967.
For the third case, Mancha said on Dec 14, at 6.30 am, a team of police from the 10th Battalion Sibu PGA, who are conducting their routine patrol around Jalan Ensawang in Lubok Antu, had stopped two local men in a four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle which is coming from Indonesia heading towards Malaysia, believed to be involved in smuggling activities.
He said as a result of the inspection the police seized eight sacks of Patin and Tapah fish that were being transported using the 4WD vehicle and arrested the two men. Total seized was estimated to be worth RM60,000.
He noted the seized items and the two men were handed over to Lubok Antu Police headquarter (IPD Lubok Antu) for further action and the case is being investigated under Section 135 (1) (D) of the Customs Act 1967.
On the same note, Mancha also disclosed on Dec 12, at 9 am, an Indonesian man was arrested by a team of police from the 11th Battalion Batu Kawa PGA nearby Kampung Mongkos in Serian, for trying to enter into the state illegally using “jalan tikus”.
He said further inspection found that the man failed to produce any valid travel documentation. The case was handed over to Serian police headquarter (IPD Serian) for further action and investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. –DayakDaily.
