PENGUNJUNG SETIA

16 November 2010

SMUGGLERS GO UNDERGROUND

By Chong Chee Seong


SMUGGLERS in Ledang have adopted a new strategy to avoid detection. They now bury the smuggled goods in holes in the ground at oil palm estates and cover the holes with dried oil palm fronds.

Previously, they kept the smuggled goods in stores or empty houses.

This was unveiled by a marine police team led by its investigating unit chief inspector, Mohd Naser Marzuke and six officers during an operation recently.


An assortment of cigarettes valued at RM200,000 were seized during the morning operation at Parit Zing, Bukit Gambir, Ledang. No arrests were made.

Muar Marine Operations Force commanding officer, Assistant Superintendent Nordin Osman said the raiding team, acting on a tip-off, kept surveillance at the estate for two weeks.

He said the cigarettes were buried in five locations in an oil palm estate and these holes were covered with dried oil palm fronds.

Nordin said it was the first time they discovered this tactic, and that smuggled goods were previously kept in stores or empty houses.

He said the strategy was used to evade detection by enforcement teams.

Nordin said the recent case was the second successful raid this year, following another raid in August in which RM50,000 worth of cigarettes believed smuggled from a neighbouring country were seized.

SOURCE: NST JOHOR STREETS, NOV 16, 2010

Read more: Smugglers go underground http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/1702jbone/Article#ixzz15aU8SZcV

Tiada ulasan: