KUANTAN: Malaysia has lost nearly RM1.9bil due to the smuggling of cigarettes and another RM500mil due to the smuggling of liquor annually, Royal Malaysian Customs (Enforcement and Compliance) deputy director Datuk Matrang Suhaili said here the other day.
He said the smuggling activities were not only detrimental to the country but had also paved the way for syndicates to make the country a centre for contraband cigarettes.
Matrang said a study found that 33.6% of cigarettes and 30% of liquor sold in the local market were smuggled.
“The smuggling of both cigarettes and liquor is a serious crime and members of the public must alert us if they know of anyone who does so or sells these,” he told reporters after launching Ops Pacak here yesterday.
Matrang said the Customs had launched the operation to continue threir focus on curbing the smuggling and sale of various types of contraband cigarettes in the country.
“We are working closely with the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, local authorities, the Royal Malaysian Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency to curb these,” he added.
