RM5.66 mln worth of Meth seized at Sandakan Airport

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Subromaniam (centre), Hamzah (second left and others show the media the 102.99kg of Methamphetamine confiscated from the five suspects. – Bernama photo

SANDAKAN: Customs Department here confiscated 102.99kg of Methamphetamine worth an estimated RM5.66 million from five local suspects.

Director-General of Customs Department Malaysia, Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy said the five suspects aged 19 to 26 years old were arrested upon arrival at Sandakan Airport around 9.35am on Feb 27.

“During the incident, a team of Customs officers from the Passenger Inspection Branch were inspecting passengers arriving from Kuala Lumpur at Sandakan Airport via an AirAsia flight.

“From the result of observation and risk assessment on the flight passengers, Customs officers suspected a group of five men carrying a luggage bag each.

“The Customs officers had scanned every luggage bag carried by the five men and found suspicious images.

“All the five suspects tried to escape through the exit near the scanner but were arrested by Customs officers,” he said.

He said the 102.99kg of Methamphetamine were divided and packed into small plastic packets covered with foil papers in an effort to confuse the authorities.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Subromaniam said this was the second arrest by Sabah Customs Department involving drug smuggling attempts via air mode at airports in Sabah.

All the suspects were remanded 12 days from the date of arrest and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the death penalty upon convicted.

Meanwhile, Subromaniam urged the public to cooperate with Customs Department by channelling information on smuggling activities involving drugs, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages or firecrackers.

The public may call Customs Hotline at 1-800-88-8855 or the nearest Customs office in the state.

The identity of each informant will be kept confidential.

Also present at the press conference was Sabah director of Customs Department, Datuk Hamzah Sundang.