POLICE detained two men and seized various brands of contraband cigarettes worth RM3.3 million at Km55.2 of the Karak Highway in Bentong on Saturday.

Pahang deputy police chief Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said police were tipped off about the contraband cigarettes. Subsequently, a team from Bukit Aman’s Special Operations Command stopped a five-tonne lorry and detained the 43-year-old driver at 4.20am.

He said shortly after that, a man driving a Toyota Corolla car came and introduced himself as the lorry driver’s friend.

Upon checking the lorry, police discovered 333 big boxes containing cigarettes with brands such as Touro International, Wismilak Diplomaf and Luffman Premium Blend 22.

“Both the local men were arrested and initial investigations revealed that the lorry driver was paid RM1,500 to transport the contraband to Kuala Lumpur,” Yusri told a press conference at the Bentong district police headquarters.

“The suspects claimed to have taken the lorry in Kemaman, Terengganu, which was left at a row of shophouses with the keys placed on one of the tyres before driving it to Kuala Lumpur.

“We are now in the process of identifying the lorry owner.”

Also present was Bentong district police chief Zaiham Mohd Kahar.

Yusri said both suspects, who have been remanded for four days beginning November 20, are first offenders and a urine test conducted on them proved negative. – Bernama, November 22, 2021.