Chik Omar (second left) showing the filtered cigarettes seized during a press conference at the KLIA Customs Complex. — Bernama photo
SEPANG: The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) KL International Airport (KLIA) branch thwarted an attempt to smuggle in 800 boxes of filtered cigarette worth RM4 million, last Wednesday.
KLIA Customs director, Datuk Chik Omar Chik Lim said the container which came from China via the West Port, Port Klang, in Selangor on May 18, which was declared as containing plastic products, was found to be using a fake address and company.
He said a 40-year-old local man working at a shipping agency, who pledged on the shipment, was also detained to help in the investigation.
The case was investigated under Section 133(1)(a) Customs Act 1967 for making a false declaration to customs and if found guilty could be fined a maximum of RM500,000 or five years jail or both, he told a media conference here, yesterday.
In the meantime, Chik Omar said KLIA Customs also busted three attempts to smuggle in Methamphetamine weighing 9.211kg worth RM1.8 million at the KL International Airport 2 (KLIA2) and KLIA from May 11 to June 15.
In the first incident at 6.45am on May 11 at KLIA2, customs detained an Indian national upon arrival from Bangalore after drugs weighing 6.321 kg, worth RM1.2 million, was found in 49 Indian joss stick boxes hidden in his baggage.
The subsequent seizure was made on May 18 after KLIA Customs seized two parcels from Shenzen, China addressed to two people in Kuala Lumpur.
Chik Omar said the parcel was seized from the shipping agency in KLIA after the duo did not respond to calls using the hand-phone via the numbers on the boxes.
“We found the parcels contained an alloy roller machine part which contained a white powder believed to be Methamphetamine weighing 410 grammes and 420 grammes, in each parcel worth a total US$157,700,” he said.
In the third case, Chik Omar said the department seized drugs weighing 2.06 kg worth RM392,920 from the baggage of a woman from Ukraine, on June 15.
He said an inspection of the baggage of the woman who flew in from Hong Kong found white powder hidden in face-whitening cream boxes.
Chik Omar said both the 27-year-old woman and the Indian national had been charged in court under Section 39 (B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and if found guilty were liable to the death sentence. — Bernama