Penang Customs Seizes RM1.58 Million in Untaxed Cigarettes and Liquor Across Two Raids

BUTTERWORTH, Sept 24 – The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) in Penang seized contraband cigarettes and liquor valued at over RM1.58 million, including unpaid duties, following two separate raids on unoccupied residential premises in Bukit Mertajam and Nibong Tebal last month.

Penang JKDM Director Hasbollah Din stated that acting on operational intelligence, a team of enforcement officers raided a residential property in Nibong Tebal at noon on August 14.

Inspection of the premises yielded 115,340 sticks of cigarettes and 635.52 liters of liquor of various brands suspected to be undeclared, with a total estimated value of RM147,567.55 including taxes.

“The cigarettes and liquor are believed to have been stored in the unoccupied residential premises before being distributed or sold in the local market,” Hasbollah told a media conference at the state Customs Prevention Complex on Thursday.

He added that investigations remain active to identify the supply source, property owners, and local distribution networks involved.

In a second operation, enforcement officers raided an unoccupied house in Bukit Mertajam at 1:00 PM on August 17.

Upon searching the premises, officers uncovered 1,337,520 sticks of illicit cigarettes of various brands, with the total seizure value—including taxes—estimated at RM1.43 million.

“The unoccupied house is believed to have been used to hide the cigarettes to avoid detection by the authorities before being distributed to the local market,” Hasbollah explained.

Both cases are currently being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 for possession of prohibited or uncustomed goods, while authorities continue efforts to locate the owners of the respective properties.

–NMT