KOTA KINABALU: Barely 15 days after a woman from China was arrested for smuggling drugs into the state capital, the Customs Department foiled another attempt after detaining a Chinese woman for smuggling two kilograms of methamphetamine or syabu valued at RM400,000 at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA-T2) on Sunday.
The 24-year-old suspect, who had flown in from Hong Kong at 11.25pm, was nabbed after Customs enforcement officers detected the drug hidden inside the suspect’s luggage after going through the scanning machine.
State Customs director Datuk Janathan Kandok said the modus operandi of the syndicate was similar to the previous case on June 22.
“Investigation shows the drug was wrapped in a plastic bag and hidden inside a secret compartment of the luggage.
“Further investigation revealed that the crystal-like substance is believed to be Methamphetamine, weighing about 2kg and valued around RM400,000,” he told a press conference at the State Customs Department headquarters here yesterday.
Janathan said investigation revealed that the suspect had flown in from Hong Kong on an AirAsia flight before taking the next flight to Peninsular.
He said the suspect had been remanded for investigation under Section 39B (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 for drug trafficking which carried the death penalty upon conviction.
This is the second such case in less than a month where on June 22, a 21-year-old woman from China was caught smuggling about 4.8 kilograms of Methamphetamine valued at RM930,000 at KKIA-T 2.