Penang customs seize drugs worth RM1.8mil

BUTTERWORTH: Penang Customs Department foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs using courier service and seized 18kg of methamphetamine worth RM1.8mil found hidden in children bicycle tyres in a raid on the courier company at Raja Uda Business Centre here on Dec 22.

Penang Customs director Abdul Halim Ramli said acting on intelligence findings, a team from the department’s narcotics unit raided the courier company at 6pm and seized 10 boxes containing children bicycle frames and tyres.

"Upon search, the team found a total of 104 packets of methamphetamine hidden in the bicycle tyres in the 10 boxes.

"The drugs, weighing 18kg, are estimated to be worth RM1.8mil," he told a press conference here on Thrusday (Dec 30).

He said further investigations were being done to identify the sender, which was a bicycle seller in Penang, and the recipient, whose address was in an Oceanian country.

"We believe the drugs were meant to be smuggled out of the country and the drug syndicate had used the courier service as a tactic to fool the authorities," he said.

Abdul Halim said no arrests were made so far.

"The public with information on such a syndicate or activity are urged to channel the information to the authority so that it can be curbed," he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 39 B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. - Bernama