Sabah marine cops score biggest haul of contraband – on land!

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah marine police took to the land as it scored its largest haul of contraband alchohol, cigarettes and fireworks worth RM8.3mil.

The seizure took place in a makeshift storehouse at Kampung Bontoi in Tamparuli at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu, some 40km from the state capital on Wednesday (Jan 23).

Three people – two locals and a foreigner – were arrested in the operation and a van valued at about RM90,000 was also seized.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah told a press conference here Thursday that they seized a total of 114,350 cartons of cigarettes of various brands worth RM5.5mil, 2,746 cartons of beer and liquor worth RM2.6mil, and fireworks valued at about RM6,235.

He said a special team had been carrying out a round-the-clock surveillance at the warehouse since Jan 21 before moving in at about 12.30pm on Wednesday (Jan 23) when they spotted the suspects handling the contraband.

“The case is the biggest ever recorded by the state’s marine police,” he said.

He added that three suspects were being investigated under the Section 135(1) (d) of the Customs Act 1967 (Amended in 2018) for possession of contraband and illegal goods.

“We are still investigating the origin of the goods and how they were brought into the state,” he said, adding that they had yet to establish if the goods were smuggled in by sea or air.

Comm Omar said marine police conducted a total of 1,684 operations in 2018, with seizures amounting to RM18mil covering various offences, including Fisheries Act and Immigration offences.

Bukit Aman marine police chief Sr Asst Comm Mohd Yusoff Mamat said that nationwide, 4,315 cases with RM88mil worth of seizures were achieved through 3,316 operations in 2018.- Star