Rice smuggling attempt foiled

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: Tax and excise authorizes have seized a boat carrying 125 tons of rice bound for the southern Philippine town of Bulu-Bulu with no legal documents.

The boat KM Harapan Bersama was seized Thursday with 5,000 sacks of rice, Antara reported.

Toto Sugiatno, chief of the Balikpapan tax and excise office, said the seizure confirmed reports that smuggling rice out of East Kalimantan was commonplace.

Under the 1995 tax law, smugglers are subject to a maximum sentence of eight years and/or a fine of up to Rp 500 million (US$212,700), Toto said.

The rice smuggling incident was the 10th foiled between April and November this year. (pan)