SEPANG: Two Chinese citizens were jailed for six months each by the magistrate's court here today for possessing contraband cigarettes at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Magistrate Suriani Ujang handed down the sentence to Zhang Yaojun, 48, and Zou Xinyi, 40, after they pleaded guilty to the charges, and ordered the sentences to run from their arrest on June 26.
The court also ordered the man and woman to pay import duties of RM9,200 each, or serve an additional one month in jail.
According to the charges, Zhang was alleged to have possessed 149 cartons of cigarettes, equivalent to 29,800 sticks, worth RM4,470, with assessed import duties amounting to RM20,770.60.
Zou was charged with possessing 311 cartons of cigarettes, equivalent to 62,200 sticks, worth RM9,330, with assessed import duties amounting to RM43,353.40.
Both were charged with committing the offence at the Passenger Examination Branch Office, KLIA Terminal 1 Customs Office, at 6pm on June 26.
The charge was framed under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, punishable under Section 135(1)(v)(aa) of the same Act, which carries a minimum fine of 10 times the value of the goods or RM100,000, whichever is higher, and a maximum of 20 times the value or RM500,000, or a jail term of between six months and five years, or both, upon conviction.
KLIA Customs Department prosecuting officer Shahrul Amin Shahrul Nizam prosecuted, while lawyer Soon Sen Yang represented both accused.
Soon appealed for a lenient sentence, citing their family responsibilities and financial burdens.
"Zou is a single mother who is divorced and solely responsible for supporting her 10-year-old son, while Zhang has two schoolgoing children and his wife was involved in an accident several months ago," Soon said.
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