Bruneian man fined for possessing smuggled cigarettes

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) — A 31-year-old man was fined 20,000 Brunei dollars (15,000 U.S. dollars) after pleading guilty to charges involving the possession of smuggled cigarettes and vape pods in Brunei, local media reported on Monday.
According to the local daily Borneo Bulletin, the man will have to serve 20 months’ imprisonment in default of payment. The contraband, which included 47 packets of various cigarette brands and three vape pods, was confiscated during an operation conducted by the law enforcement of Brunei’s Royal Customs and Excise Department.
According to Brunei laws, the production and sale of tobacco are strictly forbidden in the sultanate, and heavy duties are imposed on imported cigarettes. Those convicted of tobacco smuggling will face hefty fines or imprisonment. ■