CUSTOMS ADOPTS NEW APPROACH TO STEM TRADE IN ILLEGAL CIGARETTES

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- The Customs Department Monday launched a new
approach of inspecting business premises to check the distribution and sale of
untaxed cigarettes in the Klang Valley (an area in Malaysia comprising Kuala
Lumpur and its suburbs, and adjoining cities and towns in the state of
Selangor).

Customs Investigations Director Zainul Abidin Taib said the approach could
trace traders of untaxed cigarettes and it differed from the approach of
checking lorries transporting cigarette consignments.

"Under the new approach, we can detain the seller as well as stop the
distribution of the illegal cigarettes to traders," he told a news conference at
his office, here.

He said that in the maiden operation codenamed "Operation Clove", which
began Monday, five traders were detained in the Chow Kit area of Kuala Lumpur
for further investigation.

The operation, which began at 11.30am, was conducted by 36 personnel and
officers from the Putrajaya Customs and the states and resulted in the seizure
of 47,000 "kretek" (clove) cigarettes of various brands valued at about
RM19,000 (US$5,600).

"We conducted checks at 11 business premises in the Chow Kit area. This was
the first location of our focus because it is a hot area for the sale of
smuggled clove cigarettes," he said.

Zainul Abidin said if this operation helped to check the distribution of
illegal cigarettes, similar operations would be conducted in the states.

In Monday's operation, a retailer in Jalan Raja Alang was held for hiding
about 30 cartons of various brands of illegal cigarettes in a store at his
premises, he said.

Some of the cigarettes were also kept in an unused refrigerator to avoid
detection by the raiding Customs officers, he added.
-- BERNAMA