POLICE have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 9,900 cartons of contraband cigarettes worth RM1.48 million into the country in a raid in Teluk Air Tawar in Jertih on Wednesday. 

Besut police chief Abdul Rozak Mohamad said in the 11.30pm raid mounted by a team from Marine Intelligence Unit, several men were spotted unloading the cigarettes from a boat into a waiting lorry, but they immediately fled the scene when the team approached. 

“Upon search, 198 cartons of contraband cigarettes were found in the lorry. 

“We believe that the cigarettes were smuggled from the neighbouring country via sea and landed here to be transferred into the lorry and sent to customers outside Besut. 

“This is the biggest seizure of contraband cigarettes in Besut so far this year,” he told reporters at the Besut police headquarters today.

Also seized was a lorry with RM200,000, he said. 

“Police are tracking down suspects and the owner of the lorry. The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967,” he added. – Bernama, November 11, 2022.