ID :
236981
Sat, 04/21/2012 - 12:29
Auther :

Customs Seize Drugs In Fake Cashew Nuts, Detain Indian National

SEPANG (Selangor, Malaysia), April 21 (Bernama) -- An attempt to smuggle in drugs inside fake cashew nuts was uncovered by the Kuala Lumpur International Airport's (KLIA) Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM), here, Thursday. Ketamine with a gross weight of 9.337 kilogrammes and valued at RM373,480 (US$121,833.31), had been put in fake cashew nuts made from plastic, and packed together with genuine cashew nuts, to fool JKDM. KLIA JKDM deputy director Siti Baya Berahan, however, said the ruse was discovered when cotton covering a hole on a fake cashew nut came off and white powder spilled out. She said JKDM detained an Indian national, aged 23, who arrived from Chennai at 8.30am on Thursday when his trolley bag showed a suspectious image. "When his trolley bag was examined, we found six packages of food containing fake cashew nuts mixed with genuine cashew nuts. "On further investigation, we found white powder in the fake cashew nuts. We tested the powder and found it to be positive for Ketamine," she said at a media conference here on Saturday. Siti Baya said JKDM also found a packet containing fake sago seeds weighing 800 grammes, which were believed to also contain Ketamine, in the Indian national's trolley bag. The suspect who was on his second trip to Malaysia, was remanded for seven days from Friday. He will be investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death sentence, if found guilty. Meanwhile, Siti Baya said JKDM also detained a Nigerian student at a private college in Kuala Lumpur who had tried to smuggle in Methapetamine weighing 0.85 kilogramme worth RM212,500 (US$69,319.85) on Monday. She said the man, aged 27, was detained by JKDM when his laptop bag showed a suspicious image, upon his arrival from Lagos. "Upon investigation, JKDM found a special space in the laptop, which when opened, contain a packet of white, crystal-like powder which was found to be Methapetamine," she added. -- BERNAMA

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