CUSTOM

Date: 23/01/2008 [WEDNESDAY]

Sarawak Customs Department had confiscated smuggled items worth over Nine-million ringgit and taxes amounting nearly 43 million ringgit from January to December 2007.
These items include 400 outer cigarettes, over three-thousand cartoons of beer, 480 imported liquors, two-contena of tiles and 619 sack of rice smuggled from Thailand. Other items were two-mini motobikes, four-wheller motobikes, televisyen, communication equipment, imported speaker and 100 of various handphone made in China.

The State Customs Director, Encik Shaari Abdul Manaf told reporters this in Miri, today. He said the department was doing well with its Prevention Division recording decrease a total of 785 cases 2007 compared 909 on 2006. However, the amount of taxes collected increase to 36.4 per cent or 42-million 783-thousand and 464.52 ringgit on 2007 compared 27-million 194-thousand and 913.45 ringgit on 2006. He said initial investigations showed mostly the item was smuggled along coastal belt stretching from Similajau in Bintulu to Miri in Northern Region of Sarawak. Encik Shaari disclosed that the department will continue to conduct operations to curb smuggling activities from time to time especially during the fouth coming of Chinese New Year throughout the state particularly in costal areas. He also urged members of the public to help and give full cooperation to the department by giving the right information. Last year, eleven people have been charged to court, and six on 2006.