Customs foils attempt to smuggle out over 12 kg drugs at KKIA

KOTA KINABALU: The Royal Malaysians Customs Department (JKDM) foiled an attempt to smuggle out over 12 kilogrammes (kg) of drugs worth more than RM500,000 using 23 polystyrene boxes filled with frozen fish at the Air Cargo Terminal, Kota Kinabalu International Airport on Sept 29.

Sabah Zone Customs assistant deputy director Datuk Abdullah Jaapar said the seizure involved 9.21 kg of methamphetamine, estimated to be worth RM331,956, and ketamine, weighing 3.19 worth RM169,700.

"At about 5 pm, the Air Cargo Terminal received information on the suspicious plastic packages containing banned drug substances in the polystyrene boxes to be exported abroad.

"Further inspection found 23 transparent plastic packages in the polystyrene boxes containing crystals believed to be drug substances," he told a press conference here today.

Abdullah said this was the second case for this year with the same modus operandi, that is hiding drugs in polystyrene boxes filled with frozen fish for export to deceive the authorities.

The first case involved a seizure weighing 8.66kg and worth RM404,375 on Aug 29.

"The two cases occurred in a relatively close period and we are still investigating the link between both cases, the origin of the drugs and delivery agents," he added.

The department also called on the public to channel any information on drug smuggling activities by contacting 1-800-88-8855 or the state Customs Department office.

-- BERNAMA