PASIR MAS: The Kelantan Customs Department, through its K9 Unit, has foiled 28 drug trafficking attempts from January to date, involving seizures worth RM30.2mil.
Its director, Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long, said the seizures were made during integrated operations at the country's key entry points and in special operations based on intelligence gathering.
He said the use of the K9 unit had helped the department foil drug trafficking attempts, including those where the drugs were concealed in vehicles or baggage.
"The efforts of the unit proved that control elements at the country's key entry points are getting stronger in our bid to curb drug trafficking.
"The East Zone Narcotics K9 Unit now has three Labrador Retrievers sourced from India, namely Tara, Bittu and Snoopy,” he said at the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex on Friday (Sept 12).
Wan Jamal said the department's K9 units are under the Rantau Panjang Customs Enforcement Unit and are always ready for field assignments, in particular drug-related cases.
"This unit also implements controls at all key entry points in Kelantan on a rotation basis, in addition to being assigned at certain locations based on requirements and intelligence gathering,” he said.
He added that the Kelantan Customs Narcotics Unit began operations in 1986 with four officers, three dog handlers and three narcotics detection dogs before expanding to what it is now with better facilities and stronger manpower.
"Kelantan Customs is committed to continuing efforts to curb drug smuggling and trafficking, ensuring the safety of the country and the well-being of the people,” he said.
On the methods used by the K9 unit, he said the detector dogs are usually taken around in vehicles suspected to be transporting drugs, adding that the canines would sit quietly next to the vehicles as a sign that there are drugs inside.
"So far, assignments using narcotics detection dogs have been extremely satisfying, and this will be continued from time to time in our efforts to combat the drug menace in the state,” he said. – Bernama
