All Flights Into Malaysia At High Risk For Drug Smuggling

SEPANG (Malaysia), Dec 28 (Bernama) -- All air routes to Malaysia are now regarded by the Customs Department to be at high risk for drug smuggling into this country. KL International Airport (KLIA) Customs director, M.Govinden said this was because drug smuggling syndicates had changed their usual routes to this country so as to deceive the authorities, including Customs. "So, it does not matter where the passengers come in from, we will tighten inspections on them, and we will not only be focusing on those coming from the usual suspected drug smuggling routes used by the syndicates in the past," he told a news conference, here, on Wednesday. He said the syndicates' modus operandi was to use flights such as from Dubai and India, but now they had switched to flights coming from other countries. Govinden said the Customs Department would beef up its manpower from to time to tighten inspections to stem the drug smuggling menace. He disclosed that Customs seized three kilogrammes of syabu worth RM750,000 from a 21-year-old local man from Selangor at 1.30am on Tuesday after his arrival at KLIA. He was then arrested. (US$1=RM3.16) "The man had just arrived from Manila and when our officers scanned his luggage bag, they noticed images that raised suspicion. "On inspecting the bag, they found a special compartment at the bottom and covered neatly by a piece of carbon. Upon removing the cover, they found 10 packets of white powder suspected to be syabu," he said. The man is now being remanded for seven days for further investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction. Govinden said Customs managed to seize various types of drugs weighing 116.58 kg and worth RM27.896 million within a three-month period from October this year. He said 24 people including 14 foreigners involved in the smuggling cases were arrested. -- BERNAMA Malaysia