Traders held for offering bribes

MIRI: Three traders were arrested after they each tried to bribe police personnel during separate operations to check on unpaid duties for cigarettes and alcoholic beverages on Wednesday.

General Operations Force (GOF) Battalion 12 commanding officer Supt Tan Hiap Seng said the three operations were carried out in Senadin and Permyjaya together with the Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission ( MACC).

The raids led to the seizure of cigarettes, beer and liquor worth RM421,150, on which the customs duty had not been paid, and saw the arrest of three men aged between 30 and 46.

“The owners of the premises failed to produce any relevant document to indicate they had paid the customs duties, resulting in the confiscation of the items.

“The three owners were arrested after they insisted on offering a monetary bribe to the officer on duty, despite being warned several times not to do so,” he said in a statement yesterday.

According to Tan, the first raid took place at Desa Indah at 10.55am where 650 cartons of cigarettes and 24 cans of alcoholic beverages worth RM138,180 were seized.

A 30-year- old trader at the outlet was nabbed after he offered a bribe of RM1,500 to GOF personnel.

“In the second raid, at Jalan Maigold in Senadin at 11.10am, police seized 1,000 cartons of cigarettes valued at RM97,000, and arrested a 46-year- old trader after he offered a bribe of RM1,000,” he said.

He added that the third raid at the quadruplex in Permyjaya took place at 12.45pm which saw the seizure of 168 cans and 18 cartons of alcoholic beverages worth RM185,970, and arrest of a 43-year- old trader who offered a bribe of RM1,000.

The seized items have been handed over to the Customs Department for further action, while the three suspects are being investigated by the MACC.

The owners of the premises failed to produce any relevant document to indicate they had paid the customs duties, resulting in the confiscation of the items. Supt Tan Hiap Seng, General Operations Force (GOF) Battalion 12 commanding officer

GOF Battalion 12 personnel and MACC officers show some of the goods seized during the three raids.