Record RM676 mln drug bust by Customs, police
A record haul of 3,667 kg of drugs comprising cocaine and ketamine worth RM676 million was seized in Selangor on August 18, making it among the largest successes of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and Royal Malaysia Police, to date.
Customs director-general Datuk Seri Paddy Abd Halim and Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd announced this yesterday at a joint media conference in Jijan here.
The two authorities, following more than a month's surveillance raided two shop lots, in Puncak Alam and Section U5, Shah Alam at 4.30 pm and 9.20 pm respectively.
They seized 467 kg of ketamine at Puncak Alam and 3,200 kg of cocaine at Shah Alam.
"Initial investigations found that the ketamine was from Pakistan, while the cocaine was from Ecuador. The drugs are believed to have been brought in via Port Klang and intended for export to a third country," said Paddy, but he declined to name the country.
According to him, 13 men aged 27 to 56, of whom four are locals were arrested and remanded until August 30 to facilitate investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The authorities have not ruled out the possibility that Malaysia was being used as a transit point for trafficking of such drugs.
Meanwhile, Mohd Khalil added that the drugs were not meant for the local market.
"As the drug addiction trend in Malaysia shows, it is not cocaine but syabu that is the drug of choice among addicts in this country," he said. - Bernama