In the first six months of 2018, the Customs Department has seized 9,933,986 contraband cigarettes along with 78.2 kilograms of tobacco. It also seized eight kilograms of cannabis and two kilograms of cocaine.
Furthermore, 99,570 counterfeit objects, most of which were clothes (8,938) and shoes (76,572), were seized as well along with 2,617 bottles of wine and alcoholic drinks, 84 boxes of pipe fittings, 64 packets of plastic bags, 3 cars and 3 ivory ornaments.
To reach this end, the customs department carried out numerous operations including 99,075 x-ray inspections on bags, 9,532 scanned containers, 12,425 physical searches in passenger baggage and 3,648 flights which were extensively searched.
There were also 494 searches carried out in shops, 185 surveillance exercises in the ports to delve into fuel smuggling and 24 search operations at open markets. Furthermore, 42 operations were carried out in conjunction with VAT officials or the police force.
The Customs department reminded that the importation of contraband was a serious crime with serious penalties such as financial penalties, confiscation of property and possibly also prison time.
from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2KkwpMU
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