Rice smuggling attempt foiled

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)