Kuala Lumpur: The Customs Department has uncovered a smuggling syndicate that used a dilapidated and seemingly abandoned building as a storage facility for contraband cigarettes. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said the syndicate’s modus operandi was uncovered following a raid on May 22 at a dilapidated building near a residential area in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, nearly 1.9 million sticks of cigarettes of various brands and 377 kilogrammes of tobacco, with the total market value, including duties and taxes, estimated at over RM1.56 million were seized during the raid. Zulkifli stated that efforts were underway to trace the owner of the premises to assist in the investigation, which is being conducted under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.

Meanwhile, Zulkifli also revealed that Customs had successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle 62,000 litres of nicotine-laced electronic cigarette liquid during an operation at the premises of an air cargo terminal operator in the KLIA Free Trade Zone on April 28. The syndicate had attempted to deceive authorities by falsely declaring the product as disposable electronic cigarettes, which do not require an import licence from the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Nicotine is classified as a prohibited item under Item 4, Schedule II, Part I of the Customs (Prohibition on Imports) Order 2023, and its importation is only allowed with a valid licence from the MOH. The total value of the seizure is estimated at RM334,000, with duties and taxes amounting to RM60,680, Zulkifli added. The case is being investigated under Regulation 30 (1) of the Free Zone Regulations 1991.