Customs Dept foils attempt to smuggle over 50kg of drugs via air courier

The Star

4 days ago

SEPANG: The Customs Department at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) foiled an attempt to smuggle over 56.81kg of cannabis, estimated to be worth RM5.56mil.
This followed the seizure of the cannabis in operations conducted at several air cargo terminal operators in the KLIA Free Trade Zone last April and May.
KLIA Customs Department director Zulkifli Muhammad said a total of 19 parcels, which were later found to contain substances suspected of being cannabis flowers, were seized during the operations.
"The drugs were believed to be smuggled into the country and then out to various countries using air courier services," he said in a statement on Thursday (June 26).
He said the case was being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides the death penalty or life imprisonment and at least 12 strokes of the cane if not sentenced to death, upon conviction.
In another development, Zulkifli said his team also foiled an attempt to smuggle 1.54 million white cigarettes of various brands, estimated to be worth RM154,000, with unpaid duties and taxes amounting to RM1.03mil, in a raid in Klang, Selangor, last May 9.
He said the contraband was seized from two lorries following information and intelligence gathering by his team.
"The syndicate's modus operandi is to use bonded lorries to distribute the smuggled cigarettes, and the cigarette deliveries are carried out at night to avoid detection by the authorities," he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967, which iprovides a fine of not less than 10 times the value of the goods or RM100,000, whichever is higher, and not more than 20 times the value of the goods or RM500,000, whichever is higher, or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both, upon conviction. - Bernama