AKPS KLIA Foils Cocaine Smuggling Bid Worth Nearly RM1.5 Mln

PUTRAJAYA, May 13 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has foiled an attempt to smuggle 3.3 kilogrammes of cocaine, estimated to be worth RM1.48 million, into the country last Sunday.

KLIA Entry Point commander Mohd Safrie Zakaria said the seizure was made at the arrival hall of KLIA Terminal 1 at about 8 pm involving a 61-year-old Indonesian man who had arrived from Freetown, Sierra Leone, via several transit countries.

Inspection by AKPS and Customs officers using scanning equipment detected suspicious images in the man's hand-carry bag and checked luggage, he said.

"Further examination uncovered seven packets believed to contain cocaine concealed within the inner lining of the hand-carry bag and the side compartments of the suitcase," he said in a statement today.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, with all seized items handed over to the KLIA Enforcement Unit for further action.

Mohd Safrie said AKPS would continue to strengthen control and monitoring at the country's entry points to curb drug smuggling and ensure the nation's border security and sovereignty remain protected.

-- BERNAMA