LABUAN, Dec 28 — Sabah police have identified at least three major smuggling syndicates actively running the illicit activity from the duty-free-island of Labuan to the mainland of Sabah.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali said one of the syndicates, had been crippled last week.
He said the smuggling racket from Labuan had evolved gradually and become a serious issue.
“The syndicates smuggled cigarettes, alcoholic drinks and chicken wings from the duty-free-island here to the mainland.
“The cigarettes and alcoholic drinks smuggled to the mainland of Sabah are for the market in the rural areas. It is a matter of time before we get the masterminds,” he said at a press conference here today.
With the new government’s ruling coming into effect on Jan 1, 2021, cigarettes will be subjected to taxes at all duty-free islands or duty-free zones.
The move, one of the measures under the recently passed Budget 2021, is an effort to stem cigarette smuggling activities said to be rampant at duty-free islands and zones.
“But the smuggling of alcoholic drinks to the mainland of Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei has to be addressed also,” he said.
Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said cigarettes are one of the most smuggled items in the country. — Bernama