MMEA foiled smuggling of cigarettes worth RM1m last year

PORT KLANG: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled the smuggling of 3,264,800 cigarettes last year.  The haul, worth about RM1 million, was seized through numerous enforcement operations within Selangor and Johor waters. MMEA southern region enforcement chief First Admiral Adon Shalan said the tobacco products were discovered without proper tax stamps. “The increasing demand for cheap cigarettes at roughly RM6 per box has become a factor in the increase of such illicit trade activities,” he said during a press conference after the disposal of the smuggled cigarettes at the MMEA office, here. He added that many of the smugglers were also equipped with four-cylinder boats while MMEA was only utilising two-cylinder boats. Nevertheless, he said the agency would increase its efforts and cooperation with other agencies to trace such illegal activities. He revealed that the agency would increase the number of officers involved in enforcement patrols from 700 to 1,100 this year.