POLICE seized three containers laden with duty-unpaid cigarettes and beer worth more than RM20 million in separate raids in Shah Alam and Klang yesterday.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order director Zainal Abidin Kassim said the seizure was the biggest this year by the Central Brigade of the General Operations Force.

He said the raids were conducted following two months of intelligence work.

“In the first raid at 4.13pm yesterday, two container lorries were stopped on a road in Section 33, Shah Alam, and upon inspection, 87,150 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found. Both lorry drivers, aged 29 and 35, were arrested.

“The unpaid tax of the seized cigarettes is estimated at RM12 million,” he told a press conference in Semenyih today.

Zainal said investigations led the police to a warehouse in Kapar, Klang, at 5.18pm the same day where another container lorry laden with 1,295 boxes of beer worth RM1.4 million, with unpaid tax of RM1.4 million, were seized.

“The lorry driver, aged 34, was also arrested,” he said.

“The entire seizure during the two raids, including two lorries, three containers and three mobile phones, is estimated at more than RM20 million.”

He said initial investigations revealed that the three drivers received RM100 to RM200 to deliver the items within the Klang Valley and up to RM300 to other destinations.

“They claimed that they did not know who hired them to make the delivery,” Zainal said, adding that the police are working to track down the mastermind of the syndicate. – Bernama, August 25, 2021.