Police have seized contraband cigarettes and vape products worth more than RM15.5 million following two major operations targeting smuggling activities in Selangor last month.
Federal Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the seizures were made during Op Taring Alpha 1 and Op Taring Alpha 3, conducted by the Wildlife Crime Bureau (WCB) and Special Investigation Intelligence Division with support from several enforcement agencies.
He said Op Taring Alpha 3, carried out on July 28, focused on a premises in Batu Caves suspected of being used as a storage and distribution centre for vape products.
The raid resulted in five individuals being inspected and the seizure of 131,036 boxes of vape products, 4,900 bottles of vape liquid and 25,510 electronic smoking devices from various brands.
Mohd Yusri said investigations found that the seized items were believed to have violated regulations under the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Electronic Smoking Devices) Order, the Trade Descriptions Act and the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act.
The suspects and seized items were later handed over to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and the Gombak District Health Office for further action.
In a separate operation under Op Taring Alpha 1 on July 27, police raided a premises in Puchong believed to have been used for storing, selling and distributing duty-unpaid cigarettes.
The operation led to the arrest of three local men believed to be involved in managing the syndicate’s storage and operations.
Police seized 166 master cases containing 8,300 cartons, equivalent to 1.66 million sticks, of JDB-brand contraband cigarettes during the raid.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
Mohd Yusri said from Jan 1 to July 31 this year, WCB and the division recorded 11 vape-related cases involving five arrests and seizures worth RM9.5 million, while five cigarette smuggling cases resulted in 10 arrests and seizures valued at RM6.1 million.
He added that intelligence-driven enforcement and cooperation with various agencies had contributed to the success of operations against smuggling, cross-border crimes, wildlife exploitation and environmental offences.
Mohd Yusri stressed that police would continue efforts to dismantle entire smuggling networks by targeting not only distributors but also suppliers, transporters, storage operators and syndicate masterminds.
