Latest news with #RM916
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- New Straits Times
RM916,000 worth of e-cigarettes seized in Padang Besar raids
PADANG BESAR: The General Operations Force (GOF) foiled an attempt to distribute electronic cigarettes worth more than RM900,000 with the arrest of two men and the seizure of 2,400 cartons in two separate raids on Friday. In the first operation at about noon, a team of officers stopped a van at a roadblock at Kilometre 27, Padang Besar. Northern Brigade GOF commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Shahrum Hashim said checks on the courier van found eight boxes of electronic cigarettes without valid documents, believed to be en route to a house in Taman Kim, Padang Besar. "Based on follow-up intelligence, we raided a house used as a storage facility at 1.30pm and arrested a man who admitted to renting the premises. "Checks inside the house led to the discovery of 28 more boxes of electronic cigarettes, also without valid documentation. "In total, we seized 2,400 cartons, valued at RM916,000," he said in a statement today. Shahrum said the first suspect, a 25-year-old, claimed he was paid to deliver packages he was told contained cosmetics from Kuala Lumpur. "The second suspect, a 55-year-old, admitted to obtaining supplies of electronic cigarettes from a supplier in the capital to sell to local customers over the past three months. Both are being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries a fine or imprisonment upon conviction, he said. Shahrum added that the GOF would intensify efforts to combat smuggling activities along the northern border and urged the public to provide information on any illegal activities to the authorities.
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Rare Chinese manuscripts replaced with fakes
A library user in California, who allegedly took home rare Chinese manuscripts and returned fake ones in their place, has been charged with US$216,000 (RM916,000) worth of theft. Jeffery Ying used a number of aliases to get access to classic works, some over 600 years old, at the library at the University of California, Los Angeles, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said. Ying, 38, would check the works out and return days later with dummy manuscripts. He would frequently travel to China shortly thereafter. 'The library noticed that several rare Chinese manuscripts were missing, and an initial investigation revealed the books were last viewed by a visitor who identified himself as 'Alan Fujimori',' the DoJ said. When detectives raided the Los Angeles area hotel where Ying was staying, they found blank manuscripts in the style of the books that had been checked out. 'Law enforcement also found pre-made labels known as asset tags associated with the same manuscripts that could be used to create 'dummy' books to return to the library in place of the original books.' Libraries allow rare, one-of-a-kind works to be examined on site; they are not permitted to be taken home like regular books. Ying, from the Bay Area, was also found to have a number of library cards in different names. If convicted, Ying faces up to 10 years in federal prison. China is home to one of the world's fastest-growing art markets, with a number of state-sanctioned museums as well as a lively private market, as an increasingly wealthy middle class looks to claim the country's cultural heritage. — AFP
