Sibu Customs Seizes Large Amounts of Smuggled Cigarettes and Alcohol, Taxes Involved Exceed 3 Million

(Sibu, 27th) The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) Sarawak Sibu Enforcement Team carried out an enforcement operation, successfully seizing 3,430,000 sticks of smuggled cigarettes and 70,518.24 liters of untaxed alcohol, with a total value of approximately RM731,809.44, involving import duties and taxes amounting to RM3,472,209.93.
The Sarawak Sibu Royal Customs Department stated in a press release today that the enforcement officers, after receiving intelligence from Customs Headquarters, formed a ground operations team and, at 4:25 pm on December 17, raided a double-storey house located at Lorong Ulu Sungai Merah 46J, Sibu.
According to the statement, during the inspection, officers found a large quantity of different brands of suspected untaxed cigarettes and liquor in the house, which are believed to be contraband items under the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023.
The department stated that the case is still under investigation.

The statement revealed that the suspect’s modus operandi was to use the residence as a storage location for contraband to evade detection by enforcement units.
The Sibu Royal Customs Department stated that the case will be investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967. Upon conviction, offenders may be fined not less than the amount of duty or RM100,000 (whichever is higher), and not exceeding 20 times the value of the goods or RM500,000 (whichever is higher), or imprisonment of not less than 6 months but not more than 5 years, or both.
The statement calls on the public to actively assist the Customs Department in combating all types of smuggling activities including cigarettes, alcohol, fireworks, drugs, vehicles, etc., and reminds the public not to participate in such illegal activities. Smuggling not only causes a loss of national revenue, but also poses a threat to national security and the well-being of the people.
The public who have any information about smuggling activities may call the Customs toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-8855, or contact the nearest Customs office nationwide. The Customs Department guarantees that all informants’ identities will be kept strictly confidential.
This statement was released by the Director of Sarawak Customs, Datuk Haji Norizan bin Yahya, on December 27, 2025.