KUCHING: The Sarawak Customs Department has apprehended two men in connection with the alleged smuggling of 14.17kg of suspected syabu at the Kuching International Airport (KIA) earlier this month.
The arrests were carried out by the Customs Special Passenger Inspection Unit around 10pm on Nov 3, when the suspects arrived in Kuching from Kuala Lumpur.
Sarawak Customs Department director Dr Ahmad Taufik Sulaiman stated that the men, aged 28 and 32, were detained after positive indications of narcotics were detected in scanned images of their luggage.
“Further inspection revealed 14 black packets adorned with fish images, containing crystal powder suspected to be methamphetamine.
“The estimated weight and value of the seized drugs were 14.17kg and RM497,600, respectively.
“Investigations revealed that the men had exchanged luggage, each carrying a bag not registered in their own name. One of the suspects was identified as a ‘rider,’ while the other was unemployed,” he said.
Simultaneously, on the same day at noon, he revealed that the department had confiscated an unclaimed luggage arriving from Kuala Lumpur.
Thorough examinations by the Sarawak Customs Narcotics branch exposed 20 packets of ‘Guan Yi Wang’ tea that contained crystal powder suspected to be methamphetamine.
Ahmad stated that the seized drugs weighed approximately 20.33kg, with a market value of RM727,200.
The authorities are actively searching for the owner of the unclaimed luggage.
“The modus operandi in both cases involved smuggling drugs through domestic flights, disguising them as powdered drinks with fish image prints to evade detection.
“The cases are being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction.
“If not sentenced to death, the convicted may also face at least 15 lashes of the cane,” he said.
From January to October 2023, the Sarawak Customs Department has recorded the seizure of 212,446kg of various drugs with a total worth of RM4,655,854.
