SIBU: Over RM5mil worth of drugs have been seized in the first five months in 2024 here, says Sibu Customs Department chief Mohammad Radzi Mohammad Sharif.
He said eight cases of drug smuggling were recorded in Sibu alone, with seizures worth RM5.3mil.
He said drug smuggling brought great harm to society, even more so than cigarettes and liquor.
"People can become addicted to drugs and commit crimes like murder.
"Sibu Customs will work hard over the next two years to combat this, which is already considered very worrying," he said at the closing of a briefing on the prevention, smuggling and distribution of prohibited goods here on Monday (June 10).
Mohammad Radzi also said the drug scourge also affected rural areas such as Song and Kapit, especially in villages and longhouses.
He said although it is very challenging to eliminate smuggling entirely, Mohammad Radzi said it could be minimised with the community's cooperation and h9olding events like this one.
"We can reduce cases by creating public awareness. We will continue to collaborate with the community to take initiatives like this in the future," he said.
