SANDAKAN, Aug 22 — Four men have claimed trial at the Magistrates’ Court here after being charged with possessing more than five million smuggled cigarettes worth RM476,938.

The four accused – Chang Fun Fui, 40, Loh Kok Weng, 48, Teng Wai Liang, 34, and Lim Kok Wai, 40 – entered their pleas before Magistrate Yong Ching Hong yesterday, Harian Metro reported today.

According to the charge sheet, they were accused of possessing prohibited items, namely 20 brands of cigarettes amounting to a total of 5,262,280 sticks, at an unnumbered premise in Lorong Sedco 3, Batu, here at about 5pm on July 13 last year.

The charge sheet also stated that the goods were prohibited from being imported under the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023.

All the accused were charged under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.

The court then granted bail of RM8,000 each with two sureties, with the additional condition that the accused report monthly to the nearest Customs office.

The prosecution was conducted by Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD) prosecuting officer Azizah Talibe, while the accused were represented by lawyer Siti Marzalia Mursidi.

The court fixed the case for mention on September 30.