CITY HALL HAS NO POWER TO ARREST THESE PEDDLERS. ONLY THE POLICE, CUSTOMS OR IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL HAVE THE POWER TO DO SO.

We’re powerless – City Hall

March 3, 2011, KOTA KINABALU: More than 200 contraband cigarette peddlers have been identified around the city, especially in the Sinsuran and Kampung Air areas, said City Hall enforcement director Abdul Mukti Muchlish.

However, City Hall has no power to arrest these peddlers. Only the police, Customs or Immigration Department personnel have the power to do so.

“Our enforcement monitors daily those areas identified as the peddlers’ spots but we cannot do anything except to seize their goods and impose the maximum RM500 compound.

“We also have joint operations with the Customs Department twice weekly and they bring their personnel from other districts to ensure that the contraband cigarette peddlers will not able to identify them,” said Mukti after attending the 14th City Hall PEMADAM annual general meeting yesterday.

On Tuesday, The Borneo Post reported on peddlers with dark plastic bags next to them offering cigarettes at a much cheaper prices.

One peddler at Kampung Air who identified herself as Tinda, claimed she has ‘strong connections’ with other illegal cigarette peddlers in other areas such as Sinsuran.

Their daily activity begins from as early as 6am. They would sit at the corner of a shop with sling bags next to them and carrying a small cigarette box for display.

Apart from waiting for passers-by to stop at their ‘stall’, they also oblige requests from motorists who would pull over to get their supplies of contraband cigarettes.

According to Tinda, the most challenging part in the business was to escape from being caught during raids carried out by the police or the Customs Department or City Hall’s enforcement division.

“They would come by at least twice a month, sometimes more. But we can easily identify them, so it makes it easier for us to make our run,” she said.

Without explaining how they identify the personnel on duty, Tinda said all sellers around the Kampung Air area would watch each other’s back by informing one another should anyone notice a suspicious character.

---

KANAK-KANAK WARGA ASING TUKAR HALUAN DARI KILAT KASUT KEPADA JUAL ROKOK