Selangor Customs Foils Courier Drug Smuggling Attempts Worth Over RM513,000

SHAH ALAM, July 10 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) Selangor has foiled four attempts to smuggle drugs worth more than RM513,000 through courier services in operations conducted in Sepang and Subang Jaya between April and June.

Selangor JKDM director Mohamad Azhar Ahmad Paharazi said the seizures, valued at RM513,045, involved suspected cannabis flower, methamphetamine, heroin, Erimin 5 pills and compressed cannabis.

"All four cases were successfully foiled through inspections carried out by the Selangor JKDM Enforcement Division in collaboration with the JKDM Special Intelligence Unit under Operation Mekong Dragon VIII," he said in a statement today.

He said the largest seizure involved 8,965 grammes (g) of suspected methamphetamine and heroin, estimated to be worth RM448,250, which were found concealed in two export courier consignments packed in wooden pallet boxes at a courier mail centre in the Sepang area on April 24.

According to him, the syndicate had falsely declared the shipment as 'Ceramic Wine Jar & Porcelain Vase' to deceive the authorities before it was to be exported to a country in Asia.

Mohamad Azhar said in another case on April 14, JKDM seized 781g of suspected cannabis flower worth RM62,480 from an imported courier parcel.

"The syndicate made a false declaration by declaring the parcel as a beeswax-based product for use in candle-making, body care, skincare, soap and lotion manufacturing to avoid detection by the authorities.

"The consignment was imported from a country in the Americas, while the consignee's address was in the Kuala Lumpur area," he said.

In addition, the department also seized 100 Erimin 5 pills worth RM2,000 on June 9 and 105g of compressed cannabis worth RM315 on June 12, both from domestic courier parcels in the Subang Jaya area.

He said both parcels had been concealed among dry pet food and declared as 'Kibbles' to mislead the authorities with further checks found that one of the parcels was destined for Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, while the other was to be delivered to Miri, Sarawak.

Mohamad Azhar said all the cases are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment and, where the death penalty is not imposed, a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.

He also urged the public to assist JKDM in combating smuggling activities by providing information via the Customs Toll-Free Line at 1-800-88-8855 or the nearest customs office.

-- BERNAMA