Customs thwarts attempt to smuggle drugs disguised as tea at KLIA2

SEPANG: The Customs Department has thwarted an attempt to smuggle 15kg of ketamine disguised as packets of tea at KLIA2 here.

Customs central zone assistant director Norlela Ismail said officers inspected a box checked in by the suspect who was flying to Miri, Sarawak at 7pm on June 16.

"They found 15 packets of white crystals believed to be ketamine, inside packets of tea in the box.

"The drugs weighed 15.18kg and are worth RM760,000," she said at a press conference at the KLIA Cargo Customs office on Monday (July 1).

She said it is believed that the drug syndicate uses drug mules who would conduct self-check-ins when flying to distribute drugs to other locations.

"The suspect has been remanded.

"We are investigating how much he was paid to be a drug mule," she said.

In another case, Customs also seized a package filled with RM2.5mil worth of MDMA (ecstasy) pills at KLIA on June 19.

Norlela said they found 14.66kg of pills in a package from Europe that was sent to a local company.

"We are checking if the local company is real or not.

"The case is classified under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952," Norlela said.