Bandar Seri Begawan - A 40-year-old Indonesian cook was slapped' with a hefty fine of $32,200 or 22 months' imprisonment in default after he pleaded guilty to having in possession unexcisable alcoholic drinks and cigarettes.

The defendant, Muhammad Igbal who is facing two charges, first admitted keeping seven bottles of `Label 5' Scotch Whisky, 104 cartons of 'Surya Gudang Garam' cigarettes, 10 cartons of 'Gudang Garam' cigarettes, three cartons of 'Djarum Super' cigarettes, 20 cartons of `Star Mild' cigarettes, 16 cartons of `Sampoerna' cigarettes, 20 cartons of `Era' cigarettes and 59 cartons and eight packets of `LA light' cigarettes at the Bertumpu plantation hut in Kampong Bengkurong, Masin.

He also admitted to possessing 31 cans of `Carlsberg' beer, 46 cans of `Tiger" beer, six bottles of `Label 5' Scotch Whisky, six bottles of `Scotch whisky', six bottles of 'Smirnoff Vodka', 74 cartons of `Era' cigarettes, 10 cartons and seven packets of 'Gudang Garam' cigarettes, nine cartons of `LA' cigarettes, 34 cartons and four packets of `Black Jack' cigarettes, 32 cartons of `Slims' cigarettes, 26 cartons `Djarum Super' and seven cartons `Dji Sam Soe' cigarettes at a rented house in Kampong Sungai Tilong.

In his mitigation, the defendant applied for a lenient sentence, saying that he only earned $20 to $30 per day. He also admitted that he committed the offence as he needed a side-income to help him in settling his debt besides saying that he earns more by illegally selling the goods than his current job.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Joe Chan said for the first charge, the value of liquor was estimated at $112 and cigarettes at $2,916 whilst the excise duty to be paid on the liquor is $76 and the cigarettes at $2,786. .

Meanwhile, for the second charge, the value of liquor was estimated at $297.50 and cigarettes at $1,729 whilst the excise duty to be paid on the liquor is $201 and the cigarettes at $2,296.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant had failed to pay a total of $5,359 in excise duties.

The court heard that a group of Customs Preventive Officers from BSB conducted surveillance at the end of Jalan Kg Lumapas on December 21 in relation to possession of cigarette and liquor.

At the hut, some alcoholic drinks and cigarettes were discovered. Few hours later, the officers apprehended the defendant and another man which led to the discovery of the uncustomed goods.

Further inspection made at the defendant's rented house in Kampong Sungai Tilong revealed another large amount of unexcisable goods, the court was told.

Investigations revealed that the liquor and cigarettes found at the hut and the rented house were sent by a man from Limbang through a `mouse' trail to the hut and later brought to the rented house in Kg Sungai Tilong by the defendant himself.

The defendant who has no previous related convictions also admitted that all the goods belonged to him and were meant for sale.

The prosecution applied for the goods to be forfeited to the state which was granted by the magistrate's court yesterday.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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