Army foils ciggie smuggling bid near border

SERIKIN : An attempt to smuggle 2,450 cartons of cigarettes worth over RM80,000 into Indonesia was foiled by the Army near the Malaysia-Indonesia border early today.

The contraband was discovered in a white Isuzu D-Max intercepted along an illegal border route, about 400 metres from the border at around 5:00 am.

Acting on intelligence gathering and operational coordination, the Fourth Regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps (4 KAD) had stopped the vehicle, whose cargo was covered with a blue canvas, during ‘Ops Keris Parang’ in Sector Alpha.

The First Infantry Division said further checks found that the vehicle was driven by a local man and carrying goods without valid travel documents or supporting cargo documentation.

“The seizures included the vehicle valued at RM110,000, and 2,450 cartons of ERA cigarettes worth RM83,300.

“Also seized were a Samsung phone valued at RM800, a Vivo phone worth RM700 and a sling bag worth RM50. The total value of the seizure was RM194,850,” the division said.

Both the driver and seized items were handed over to the district police headquarters (IPD) for further action.

The division said the Army would continue to intensify patrols and strengthen border security to prevent cross-border criminal activities.

Anyone with information on illegal activities at the border, are urged to alert the troops operating in the area.

The division said cooperation between enforcement agencies and the public was crucial to curbing cross-border crime.