Drugs meant for third nation’
Saturday, 24 Aug 2019
By SARBAN SINGH
image: https://apicms.thestar.com.my/uploads/images/2019/08/24/230651.jpg
Out of bounds: Customs agents guarding the cocaine haul worth RM676mil during a media conference at the Customs (narcotics) headquarters in Kampung Jijan, Nilai. — Bernama
NILAI: The 3,200kg of cocaine, the largest seizure to date and worth an estimated RM640mil, came in from Ecuador and was meant to be smuggled to a third country, says Datuk Seri Paddy Abdul Halim.
The Customs director-general said Malaysia was merely a transit point and that initial investigations revealed that the illicit drug was not meant for the domestic market.
“We believe the drugs were to be shipped out to another country as cocaine was not a popular narcotic in Malaysia.
“Also, the amount is just too huge for the domestic market,” he told reporters at the Customs (narcotics) headquarters here yesterday.
Also present was Bukit Aman Narcotics Department director Comm Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd.
Paddy said that Customs officers and a police team carried out a raid on a shoplot-cum-store in Puncak Alam in Selangor on Sunday and seized 11 sacks, weighing 467kg, which had been labelled as light soda ash.
The white powder, he said, turned out to be ketamine.
He said the raiding team also arrested 13 suspects, including nine foreigners, in the swoop.
“The suspects were unloading the illicit drugs when they were arrested.
“Initial investigations showed that the ketamine had been shipped in to Port Klang from Pakistan and later transported to the premises,” he said, adding that the ketamine was also supposed to be smuggled to another country.
Paddy said after interrogating the main suspect, the team carried out another raid at on shoplot in Section U5, Shah Alam, on the same day.
“We found the cocaine hidden on the upper floor of the premises,” he said, adding that the suspects, aged between 27 and 56, were remanded until Aug 30.
Paddy said both the ketamine and cocaine had an estimated street value of RM676mil.
According to the current black market, one kilogramme of ketamine has a street value of RM60,000, while a kilo of cocaine is worth at least RM200,000.
The case is being probed under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping.
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