NILAI: Customs crippled the activities of a drug syndicate when it seized almost 274kg of methamphetamine worth some RM8.7mil in an operation in Selangor.
Customs deputy director-general (enforcement and compliance) Ribuan Abdullah said his men had also detained a 35-year-old woman who was driving a multipurpose vehicle in which the drugs were found.
He said the drugs were seized during an operation at Bandar Puteri in Puchong on July 5.
"The drugs were concealed in 268 small packets with Chinese tea labels. These packets were then packaged into 13 bigger ones and declared as rice," he told reporters at the Customs (narcotics) headquarters in Kg Jijan near here.
Ribuan said that based on a preliminary probe, the suspect had rented the MPV in a northern state for two days for RM1,320.
He said the drugs were believed to have been brought into the country from a neighbouring state by road.
The drugs, he said, could have been used by some 1.3mil individuals.
Ribuan said the suspect was charged at the Petaling Jaya magistrate's court on July 16 and had claimed trial to the alleged offence.
The suspect, who worked as a guest relations officer, was charged under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping.
"We are still investigating the case to establish if there are more individuals involved in the case," he said.
Ribuan also urged the public to help Customs combat such drug distribution-related activities to prevent more people from picking up the habit.
He said they should also report other smuggling activities involving cigarettes, tobacco and vehicles as this causes the country to lose revenue.
Anyone with information may call the Customs toll-free line at 1-800-88-8855 to report such activities.
