By Nour Maghfirah
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, OCT 14 – The Magistrate’s Court yesterday ordered a local man to pay a $51,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to possessing contraband cigarettes.
Azhrin Hidayat bin Saidi will have to serve 15 months in prison if he fails to pay the fine.
Magistrate Syarifah Nur Baqiyah binti Malai Shahran heard from the customs prosecutor that the defendant was arrested on 23 May 2022, during an operation carried out by the Enforcement Division of the Royal Customs and Excise Department at a house in Kampung Mentiri.
The law enforcement officers found 49 cartons and 20 packets of various brands of cigarettes.
All booty was ordered to be forfeited to the government and destroyed.