Informer RM80,000 richer

An informer who tipped off the state Customs to cigarette smuggling is now RM80,000 richer.

The informer, whose identity is confidential, led Customs to seizures of smuggled imitation cigarettes on which over RM430,000 in taxes should have been paid.

State Customs director Datuk Rusmani Abdul Sukur said the seizures involved more than 200 brands of cigarettes.

"The smuggling of imitation cigarettes not only contributes to the loss of tax revenue, but could be hazardous to health because the cigarettes contain uncontrolled amounts of nicotine and other harmful chemicals," he said yesterday.

And New Straits Times has learned that many of these cigarettes contain shredded newspaper and little tobacco.
Rusmani said the highest number of cigarettes seized was in Sibu last year with 9,902kg. This was followed by Kuching (5,189kg), Miri (3,145kg), Sarikei (491kg), Bintulu (310kg) and Limbang (29kg).