KUCHING: The state Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) scored a major year-end success against narcotics when its officers busted three cases in separate raids from November to December.
The total value of the drug busts amounted to RM238,510.
JKDM Sarawak director Dr Ahmad Taufik Sulaiman said that all three cases are being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The packages containing packets of drugs in the first case.
“In the first case at the Kuching International Airport (KIA) on Dec 14, our officers confiscated two courier packages which were detected at 10.30am and 4.30pm respectively.
“The packages raised our suspicion as the packages were labelled as ‘spare parts’.
“The image of the content of the packages on the scanner activated the ‘risk item’ indicator,” he said in a statement on Dec 27.
In the first package, the officers found eight vacuumed packets containing what appeared to be marijuana weighing 2,096 grammes worth RM9,800.
The packages containing ketamine in the second case.
The second package containing four packets, also allegedly contained marijuana worth RM4,550 and weighing 1,041 grammes.
Ahmad said the packages were sent from Peninsular Malaysia to a spare parts company in Kuching. However, there were no names of the receiver on the packages.
He also said the department’s anti-narcotics branch will continue to track the syndicate and individuals involved in the case.
“In the second case, JKDM officers in Miri picked up a husband and wife couple from a company premises in Miri city at 9.45am on Nov 30.
“The couple, in their 60s, was at the location to retrieve a package, believed to contain narcotics. Both of them were arrested,” said Ahmad.
Customs officers found 500 small packets believed to be Chinese traditional medicines. The packets were tested positive for ketamine, weighing 3,992 grammes, valued at RM219,560.
The package was sent to Miri from Peninsular Malaysia through a local courier service.
“The suspects claimed they bought the items on several occasions from a seller from Peninsular Malaysia.
“They also said the drugs are used for self-consumption and sold to people as a pain reliever,” he said.
The package of compacted marijuana in the third case.
Meanwhile, in the third case, enforcement officers in Miri arrested a man from a neighbouring country outside a courier company building, on Dec 20 at around 2.14pm.
Ahmad said the suspect was there to retrieve a package. Customs officers arrested the suspect with a package containing drugs.
“The package was labelled as ‘fish food’; the suspect said the item was retrieved on behalf of his family.
“A second suspect, who admitted to be the first suspect’s brother, was arrested,” he said.
The package contained two packages of compacted dried leaves which tested positive for marijuana. The drug weighed 1.042 grammes with a value of RM4,600.
The package came from Peninsular Malaysia through a local courier service.
Ahmad said the suspect claimed he had been picking up the drug on several occasions from the courier company in Miri to be transported to a neighbouring country.
The suspect was remanded for seven days by the Magistrates’ Court in Miri on Dec 21.
The modus operandi in the first two cases were similar as the services of couriers were engaged to send items from Peninsular Malaysia. The receivers claimed the drugs were for self-consumption and to also sold to the local community.
In the third case, the modus operandi used third parties to collect the drugs at the courier company to avoid detection.
Ahmad said that until November, more than 48 kilogrammes of various types of drugs were confiscated in Kuching, Sarikei, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri with a total value of RM2,676,093.
