SEPANG: More than 14kg of drugs worth over RM2.5mil were seized at Terminal 1 of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The drugs were confiscated after a Chinese national and a Thai national were arrested at the arrival hall on Nov 19 by the Customs Department and the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency.
KLIA Customs Department director Zulkifli Muhammad said both suspects were detained when suspicious items were detected in their luggage during baggage scanning.
A detailed inspection of the Chinese national’s luggage uncovered several small yellow packets filled with powder believed to be ketamine.
These packets were hidden inside red tins and boxes labelled as Chinese tea, Zulkifli said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 3).
In the Thai national’s luggage, officers found capsule-shaped objects containing cocaine, which had been concealed inside a soft toy.
Both suspects, along with the seized items, were handed over to the KLIA Customs Enforcement Division for further investigation.
The 2.7kg of ketamine was worth about RM135,000, while the 12kg of ketamine was valued at over RM2.4mil, Zulkifli said.
He added that the smugglers’ modus operandi involved hiding ketamine in tea-labelled boxes and concealing cocaine in a stuffed toy.
Zulkifli called on the public to assist in combating smuggling activities involving cigarettes, alcohol, fireworks, drugs, vehicles and other contraband, stressing that such crimes not only cause revenue loss but also pose threats to national security and public safety.
Those with information on smuggling activities are encouraged to contact the Customs toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-8855 or the nearest Customs office. The department assured that the identity of informants would be kept confidential.
