Malaysian Chicken Wings Smuggler Fined $4,000

Bandar Seri Begawan – A Malaysian manager of a private firm, Abd Razak bin Mohd Hasshim, 36 who tried to smuggle 144 packets of Danish Chicken Wings (288 kgs) in a car was fined $4,000 in court yesterday before Magistrate Ridzlan bin Hj Ibrahim.

The reason to the commission of the offence is due to financial difficulties, the court was told in mitigation.

When the Customs Preventive Officers caught the accused at the vicinity of Kampong Buluh on April 3 this year, the accused was taking opportunity to make some money by selling the uncustomed items to foreign workers there, the lawyer representing him said.

The lawyer also informed the court that the accused was indebted to Mulaut Abattoir Sdn Bhd in the sum of $52,303.71, for goods supplied to him while running a private firm, Syarikat Awang Ariffin.

Furthermore, the accused had to pay the remaining balance of the vehicle, Toyota Super Kijang, which has been subjected to forfeiture order of the Court sometime in February when he was fined $2,000 for smuggling 20 cartons of Chicken Wings.

“I hope you are not using his financial difficulties of the accused to justify a serious offence especially for a second offender who has not learnt his lesson,” the magistrate commented.

However the lawyer replied that it is not a point seeking justification but merely drawing  the court’s attention to the mitigating factor, which the accused highlighted.

After passing sentence, the lawyer also requested for the fine to be settled within two weeks, which the court granted. The accused has to pay the fine by July 4 or he would have to spend four months in jail.

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