COPS BUST INTERNATIONAL DRUG SYNDICATE, SEIZE METH WORTH RM1.44 MILLION

KLANG, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Police believe they have crippled an international drug trafficking syndicate following the seizure of RM1.44 million of methamphetamine found hidden in the upper part of a modified container during a raid at West Port here on Nov 7.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the operation was carried out based on information from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Task Force Tiger in collaboration with the Australian Federal Police (AFP), which detected the suspicious movements of a container that was on transit at Port Klang.

"The syndicate is believed to have brought the drugs from the Middle East, using Malaysia as a transit point before shipping them to the Australian market by declaring that the container contained 22 pallets of marble slabs.

"However, international intelligence suspected the existence of additional hidden cargo, before an inspection revealed a special modified space, which had new welding marks,” he told a media conference at the Port Klang Police Station here today. 

Hussein said that an inspection of the modified space on the upper part of the container led to the discovery of 136 transparent plastic packages containing crystal substances believed to be methamphetamine, weighing 45 kilogrammes (kg).

He said the seizure is the NCID's second success this year for a case using a similar method, making Port Klang a transit for drug shipments.

"We managed to thwart the shipment of the drug to their targeted country. But their tactics are constantly changing. In this case, the specific space was created in the container to conceal the drugs and such a method is slightly different compared to previous cases,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Hussein also confirmed that no local company was involved in the shipment of the drugs, and that the container only stopped at Port Klang for transit before proceeding to its next destination.

He also thanked Westports, port authorities, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and international strategic partners, like AFP and the Dubai Police Anti-Narcotics Unit, for helping to uncover the drug syndicate’s activities.

Hussein said police will not compromise with any parties involved in drug trafficking, and they will continuously fight this menace to ensure the country is not used as a transit point for drug smuggling activities.

-- BERNAMA