KUCHING, Aug 29 — The General Operations Force (GOF) Sarawak Brigade seized various types of cigarettes and liquor, worth RM9.3 million, in Operasi Kontraban Mega carried out simultaneously across the state from Tuesday (August 26) to today.
Its commander SAC Lim Bak Phai said the operation involved five battalions: the Sarawak GOF Brigade Headquarters in Kuching, the 10th Battalion GOF in Sibu, the 11th Battalion GOF in Kuching, the 12th Battalion GOF in Miri, and the 23rd Battalion GOF in Sri Aman.
“Throughout the four-day operation, a total of 29 raids and inspections were carried out in 29 locations in Kuching, Kota Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Sibu, Miri, Limbang, and Bintulu,” he said in a statement today.
Thirty-eight individuals, comprising 24 local men and 14 women, aged between 18 and 72 years, as well as a foreign national married couple, aged 34 and 35, were also arrested during the operation.
"The seizure involved 13,530 cartons of various brands of white cigarettes, 2,549 cartons of kretek cigarettes, 85,225.17 litres of liquor, a quantity of firecrackers, and five vehicles of various types," Lim said.
The total value of the seizure was estimated at RM9.33 million, including cigarettes worth RM5.69 million, liquor (RM3.18 million) and other goods (RM468,434).
All arrests and seizures were handed over to the relevant district police headquarters for further investigation under Section 135(1)(d) of the Malaysian Customs Act 1967, Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1957, and the Local Authorities Ordinance 1996.
He added that from January 1 to August 29, the GOF Sarawak Brigade recorded 357 cases with a total seizure value of RM322.7 million, involving 467 arrests and 241 vehicles.
