Kuala Lumpur: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) Central Zone III at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) foiled seven drug smuggling attempts worth an estimated RM1.86 million in the first two months of this year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Central Zone acting assistant director-general Dr Ahmad Taufik Sulaiman reported that the first three cases involved a joint raid by the enforcement division and the Customs Headquarters Narcotics Branch on January 24 at a mailbox area in Cyberjaya. This operation led to the arrest of a suspect and the seizure of a parcel containing tom yum paste cans filled with cannabis.

A subsequent raid in Cyberjaya resulted in the arrest of two additional suspects at a condominium believed to be used for processing and storing cannabis. The total amount of cannabis seized in these three cases was approximately 10.5 kilograms, valued at RM32,027.55.

In the fourth and fifth cases on February 25 and 27, baggage scans of two travellers at KLIA Terminal 1 revealed cannabis concealed in airtight plastic bags. Authorities successfully seized 28 kilograms of cannabis worth RM844,290.

The sixth case, occurring on February 27, involved a traveller preparing to fly to Kuching, Sarawak, at KLIA Terminal 2. Customs officers discovered 26 kilograms of methamphetamine worth RM824,034.60 in the suspect’s luggage.

In the seventh case on March 2, two individuals were detained at the KLIA Terminal 1 international departure gate after their luggage was found to contain 5 kilograms of methamphetamine valued at RM160,000.

Dr Ahmad Taufik stated that all the suspects are being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction, along with a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane if the death penalty is not imposed.