KOTA KINABALU: Contraband cigarettes worth about RM9mil was seized by police personnel from the General Operations Force (GOF), on Monday (Jan 10).

       The cigarettes were found inside a lorry which was inspected by policemen at Kg Iban Merotai road in Tawau, at about 10am.

       The 37-year-old local lorry driver was also detained.

       Tawau GOF 14th Battalion Commander Supt Mohd Yacob Murad said the police team found different brands with an overall value of about RM8,690,888.

       The cigarettes were believed to have been smuggled in from a neighbouring country for sale in the local market, he said.

       He said police also seized the a Nissan UD lorry and a Huawei mobile phone.

       Supt Mohd Yacob said that the case had been handed over to the Tawau district police for further investigations under the Customs Act.