According to a report by Berita Harian on April 28, the Kelantan branch of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department conducted two separate raids last Wednesday (24th) and seized 2.62 million sticks of smuggled cigarettes, with a total taxable value exceeding RM 2.3 million (USD 482,433). Among them, the department's first seizure of smuggled heated tobacco products amounted to 900,000 sticks, with an estimated value of about RM 270,000 (USD 56,633).
JKDM Director Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long announced that the department carried out two raids between 8:10 pm and 9:30 pm on April 24. In the first raid, 1.72 million cigarette sticks were seized, while in the second raid, 900,000 units of heated tobacco products were confiscated. The total value of the items seized in both operations was 2.62 million ringgit (approximately $549,554), with a taxable value of 2.3 million ringgit (approximately $482,433).
He stated in today's press conference, "We believe that these two cases were orchestrated by the same criminal syndicate, and the materials involved were smuggled from a neighboring country."
He explained that the smuggling gang may have used the Malaysia-Thailand border to bring the goods into the country.
They will use smuggling teams to gradually smuggle all kinds of cigarettes through the Gyirong River. The smuggled cigarettes will be centralized and hidden in a certain place to ensure the safety of their operations, and then distributed to the market. The seized Blue Range is a popular product that originally came from Europe, but we suspect it has been rebranded in neighboring countries. In the Malaysian market, a pack of 20 is priced at 14 ringgit (2.94 USD) or more.
Currently, the case will be investigated according to Section 135(1)(e) of the Taxation Act of 1967.
We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.
Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn
Notice
1. This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.
2. The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.
3. This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.
4. Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.
Copyright
This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.
For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com
AI Assistance Disclaimer
This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.
We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com
