KUCHING: The Sarawak Customs Department has seized 3.1 tonnes of firecrackers worth RM70,500 — including RM45,825 in unpaid taxes — at a house along Jalan Batu Kawa here.
Its director Datuk Sharifah Halimah Tuanku Taha said the commodity was seized during an operation codenamed ‘Ops Petasan’ on Thursday.
Acting on information, a team of customs officers inspected the house believed to be a storage unit for the smuggled goods.
“The team found 99 cartons weighing 3.154 tonnes of firecrackers stored inside the premises covered with canvas, in an attempt to prevent the goods from being easily detected by the authority.
“An individual was arrested during the raid to assist in investigation,” she said in a statement yesterday.
She said the suspect is believed to be involved in the distribution of firecrackers meant for the local market within the city area.
The case is being investigated under Section 135 (1) (d) of the Customs Act 1967 which carries a fine not less than 10 times the amount of Customs duty or a jail term of not more than 5 years, or both on conviction.
Sharifah called on the public to cooperate with the department by channelling information regarding any illegal smuggling activities by calling the Customs Toll Free Line 1-800-88-8855, its public complaint website at http://aduan.customs.gov.my or any nearby Customs office statewide.
She said the department would ensure that the identities of informants are kept confidential.
