Ganja buds disguised as clothes, pillowcases seized at KLIA
KUANTAN: A drug smuggling attempt involving a large consignment of cannabis buds worth about RM1.4 million was foiled by the Customs Department following a series of inspections on May 5.
The parcels, falsely declared as containing T-shirts and pillowcases, were intended for delivery to Europe.
The drugs were detected when several packages scanned at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Mail and Courier Centre showed suspicious images resembling organic material.
Pahang Customs director Mohd Asri Seman said the discovery was made during routine inspections carried out between 3.10pm and 3.30pm.
"In the first case, our officers uncovered some 6,200g of drugs, valued at RM666,400, falsely declared as pillowcases at 3.10pm. A second find followed roughly 10 minutes later — a parcel weighing 3,200g, worth RM313,600, declared as shirts.
"At 3.30pm, we intercepted a third batch of drugs, weighing around 4,340g and valued at RM425,320, also disguised as shirts," he told reporters at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Customs Complex in Indera Mahkota today.
Asri said that the syndicate had used courier services to transport the drugs abroad, with Malaysia believed to have been used as a transit point.
"Two of the parcels originated from Terengganu, and one from Selangor. The syndicate is believed to have smuggled the drugs into Malaysia from a neighbouring country.
"To put it in perspective, one kilogram of cannabis buds is valued at about RM98,000, compared to RM3,000 per kg for compressed cannabis," he added.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.
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