KUALA LUMPUR: Police arrested five men in separate raids around Kuching on Monday (June 30) for their suspected involvement in smuggling and distributing untaxed cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, with total seizures valued at over RM4mil.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim said the raids were carried out by Bukit Aman’s Wildlife Crime Bureau/Special Intelligence together with the Sarawak General Operations Force under Ops Taring 1 and 2.

In a statement, Azmi said the suspects, aged between 19 and 30, include four locals and one foreign national. They were detained at storage facilities and premises believed to be used for illegal distribution activities.

Among the items seized were three lorries, 31,740 litres of various types of alcohol, 280,000 sticks of white cigarettes and 6,000 sticks of clove cigarettes, all suspected to be untaxed, with a total estimated value of RM4.03mil.

Azmi said so far this year, 153 raids have been carried out nationwide by WCB/PSK, leading to 233 arrests and total seizures valued at over RM433mil, while urging the public to share information to help combat such crimes.- Bernama