By Nour Maghfirah
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, OCT 17 – A 42-year-old permanent resident was fined $5,000 by the Kuala Belait Magistrate’s Court today after he pleaded guilty to possessing contraband cigarettes.
Chong Jih Chau will have to serve five months in prison if he fails to pay the fine.
According to the customs prosecutor, Chong was arrested at the Sungai Tujoh Control Post in Kuala Belait on April 6, 2023, at 11:28 am.
Officers from the customs control post made an arrest after finding six cartons and 19 different types of cigarettes belonging to him without valid permission.
Acting Senior Magistrate, Dewi Norlelawati binti Haji Abdul Hamid ordered the cigarettes confiscated to be destroyed.
