JOHOR BARU, Sept. 12 -- The southern region (Region Two) marine police have seized 157,000 packs of contraband cigarettes worth more than RM2.7 million during a raid in a secondary jungle near the Tanjung Kelisa beach in Bandar Penawar, Kota Tinggi today.

Region Two marine police deputy commander Superintendent Noor Azman Jamal said the raiding team initiated the raid at about 2.30am based on information and after a four-hour surveillance of the area.

"Before the raid, several men were seen loading the contraband cigarettes into a three-tonne Nissan UD lorry at the exit of the secondary jungle near the beach.

"However, the suspects managed to flee into the jungle just as police started to raid the area," said Noor Azman at a press conf...