KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Customs Department seized smuggled liquor and untaxed cigarettes with a total value of more than RM5.4 million in four separate cases.
The department's Import Export Branch confiscated all the smuggled goods after monitoring Sepanggar Port from March 6 to 18.
Deputy Sabah Customs director Datuk Mohd Nasir Deraman said the first case involved the seizure of two containers of liquor on March 6.
He said there was an attempt to smuggle the liquor, branded Cool Beer and estimated to be worth RM1.017 million, through the Sepanggar Port.
"The second seizure involved smuggled liquor and cigarettes carried out at a warehouse in Kampung Ramayah, Jalan Penampang-Papar, here.
"The worth of all confiscated items is estimated to be RM1.078 million."
"Two vehicles, a lorry and a van, were also seized for further investigation," he told a media briefing held at the Sepanggar Enforcement Office Building here today.
Nasir said a further probe led to a raid on a house in Penampang and found three lorries carrying a load of cigarettes and liquor worth RM91,935.
For the third case, it involved the seizure of four containers of Carlsberg Pilsner liquor worth RM1.82 million at the Sepanggar Port on March 15.
The last case on March 18 saw two containers of Paris Romantic Night liquor estimated to be worth RM434,050 to be confiscated.
Nasir said the modus operandi used involved falsifying information on documents and declaring the items as other than what they are, as well as hiding untaxed goods.
The authorities did not make any arrests during the raids, and they are conducting further investigations to identify the masterminds.
Investigations are ongoing under Section 135 (1) (d) of the Customs Act 1967.
