Bandar Seri Begawan - The penalties for smuggling cigarettes into the country are steep but attempts to smuggle the contraband into the country continue unabated.

A 44-year-old local desperate to make a fast buck was caught by authorities trying to smuggle 514 cartons of cigarettes.

In what could easily be the biggest haul so far this year, 10 officers from the Preventive Section of the Royal Customs and Excise Department caught the Bruneian at the vicinity of Mata-Mata in Gadong.

The Royal Customs and Excise Department expressed their gratitude for the public tip-off and support towards curbing such offences and encouraged them to report any similar activities to the Customs hotline at 8714422 and 2382422.