BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A LOCAL man was imposed a $16,000 fine yesterday after he pleaded guilty to possession of 24 cartons of cigarettes.

The court document stated that on June 16, customs preventive officers conducted a raid at an address in STKRJ Kg Tungku Gadong resided by the defendant 38 year-old Ampuan Mohd Airmy Rizwandy Ampuan Hj Idris. From the raid, the customs officers found a total of 24 cartons of cigarettes that were kept in various places of the house.

During investigation, Ampuan Mohd Airmy Rizwandy admitted that he had purchased all of the cigarettes from Limbang, Sarawak and that he had intended to sell these contrabands. The defendant has a previous customs offence in 2012. The court ordered Ampuan Mohd Airmy Rizwandy was given an eight month grace period to settle the fines or serve the 12 months in jail for in-default of payment. The defendant was released yesterday on an $8,000 fine.

In another customs case heard at court yesterday, 64-year-old Malaysian national Han Wan Seng was imposed a $4,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to possession of alcoholic drinks without permit.

The court document stated that the customs officers conducted an inspection at the defendant’s house on January 30, 2013 and found 156 cans of beers and 64 bottles of liquor that were kept in the various cabinets in a bedroom.

Han told the investigators that he bought the alcoholic drinks from Limbang, Sarawak and it was for his own consumption. The court ordered for all of the seized items to be forfeited to the state.

The Brunei Times