KUALA LUMPUR: Rogue customs enforcement officers may not be alone in facilitating the recent flow of drugs worth RM14 million to pass into the country, via the KL International Airport (KLIA).
Other enforcement agencies might also be linked to the multi-million ringgit drug smuggling racket spearheaded by a syndicate which was crippled by the police last week.
According to Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, more enforcement officers would be detained to facilitate investigations into the drug racket.
“I don’t deny the possibility (that officers from other enforcement agencies may be involved). “We will monitor the other agencies and take action when the time comes. More (enforcement) officers will be called in to facilitate investigations.
“It is also possible that more will be arrested,” he told reporters after launching the Integrated Public Agency Complaint Monitoring System (i-SPAAA), here yesterday.
He was commenting on the progress of investigations into the arrest of 11 men, including four senior customs enforcement officers during several raids in Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan on Dec 14 and 16, which involved the seizure of drugs worth RM14 million.
Khalid said to curb international drug smuggling activities involving enforcement agencies, the police would also step up surveillance at entry points such as airports and ports.
“The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has been very cooperative in revealing that some of its personnel were (alleged) culprits,” he added.
On another issue, the IGP, when commenting on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said Malaysia also rejected the organisation and its existence and activities in the country.
“The Indian Government and the United Nations denounce the LTTE as a terrorist group…so, as a member of the UN, we must abide by its resolutions.
The LTTE is illegal in Malaysia.
“This is why we arrested its organiser (recently) and there are six other organisers we have urged to surrender before we take the necessary action,” said Khalid.
Recently, the police detained a man while six others were asked to surrender after a non-governmental organisation (NGO) they belonged to, organised a birthday celebration for the late LTTE leader, V Prabhakaran, in Kulim, Kedah.
The detainee is being investigated under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act 1948 as the event was seen as an effort to influence the public. — Bernama