Norizan holds up one of the drug packets seized in the raid on March 6. — Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (March 18): The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has seized a total of 87.8kg of narcotics worth nearly RM2.6 million in Sarawak from January until March 12 this year, said its state director Norizan Yahya.
He said this included a bust involving 46kg of methamphetamine worth RM1.5 million at a house in Matang on March 6, where a local man in his 20s – suspected to be a member of a drug syndicate – was arrested.
“The drugs were found packed into 45 tea packages and hidden inside four sacks containing bundle clothes.
“Early investigation found that the suspect was tasked with delivering the drugs to customers in Kuching,” he told a press conference here today, adding the suspect has been remanded for seven days starting March 7 for further investigation.
Norizan said the syndicate, believed to have been operating for the past several months, would bring drugs from the peninsula into Sarawak by packing them with bundle clothes to avoid detection.
The department’s Narcotics Division is currently working to track down several more members of the syndicate, he added.
On the major Customs busts in Sarawak this year, he said one took place at Sibu Airport on Jan 11 which saw the arrest of one local man, and the other at Miri Airport on Jan 31 which also saw one local man arrested.
“Each suspect was found with 15kg of methamphetamine. They are on remand until their case is mentioned in court,” he said.
Norizan also called on the public to channel information to Customs to help the department combat the smuggling of drugs and other contrabands.
“Drug smuggling is a threat to national security. Anyone with information on such activities can call 1-800-88-8855 or any Customs office in the state.
“The identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential,” he said.