ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 4 — The Johor Customs Department said it had foiled a drug smuggling attempt after the illicit substance was discovered hidden with chocolates during a raid on a vehicle in Melaka last month.
The department’s enforcement team also arrested a local man in his 30s who is believed to be a courier with the seizure of a Toyota Vios car in Durian Tunggal, Melaka at 3pm on February 14.
Johor Customs Department director Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi said the enforcement officers stopped the Toyota Vios driven by the suspect for inspection.
He said the enforcement officers found 14 packs of what is believed to be crystal methamphetamine that was hidden among several packets of chocolate, sugar and barium sulfate in the rear booth of the car.
“The seized illicit drugs, weighing in at 14 kilogrammes, are worth RM542,709.
“The case is being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” Aminul Izmeer told reporters at the Sungai Pulai Customs Department Enforcement Complex here.
The penalty under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and a minimum of 15 lashes upon conviction.
In a separate case, the Johor Customs Department crippled a smuggling syndicate after seizing 2.35 million sticks of contraband kretek and white cigarettes worth more than RM1 million at premises in Shah Alam, Selangor on January 9.
Aminul Izmeer said the syndicate’s tactic was to turn their business premises into a storage area for the imported contraband cigarettes that have yet to pass customs duties.
He said the seized cigarettes, with RM1.6 million in unpaid duties and taxes, were believed to be smuggled in here from Indonesia.
“Efforts are being made to trace the premise owner pending investigations.
“The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 for possession of untaxed or prohibited goods,” he said.
For the offence under Section 135(1)(d), those convicted can be punished under Section 135(1)(v)(aa) of the same Act, which carries a fine of up to 20 times the excise value or RM500,000, whichever is higher, or a maximum five years in jail or both.
