NILAI - A woman drug mule was detained for attempting to smuggle RM1.34 million worth of black cocaine, weighing 6.7 kilogrammes (kg), at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Nov 6.
Royal Malaysian Customs Department ((JKDM) deputy director-general (Enforcement and Compliance) Sazali Mohamad said the woman, 39, was arrested at 4 pm when Customs officers found two black rubber sheets concealed in two pieces of luggage during an inspection.
"The (smuggling) syndicate's modus operandi is to mix regular cocaine with other chemical substances using the 'injection moulding' technique," he told reporters at the Narcotics Branch, JKDM headquarters here today.
He said black rubber sheets were made through this technique and used as padding in luggage to avoid detection by the authorities, while the mixture of chemicals would help neutralise the smell of cocaine in order to evade sniffer dogs.
He said this is the first time such a modus operandi was used to smuggle drugs into the country.
He said the suspect, who first entered the country on a flight from Dubai, was paid about US$500 (RM2,293) to bring in the drugs.
In another case, Sazali said a local make-up artist, 26, was detained attempting to smuggle electronic cigarettes (vape) and vape liquid containing ganja through a courier service in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur on Nov 10,
He said the package, which was declared as containing cosmetics, held 50 e-cigarettes (vape), 50 vape liquid (bottles) containing ganja oil as well as ganja weighing 850 kg worth RM15,000. A Perodua Myvi was also seized.
Meanwhile, JKDM also confiscated a box containing 400 steel bowls that had been modified to hide transparent packets of suspected methamphetamine, weighing 6.3 kg worth RM230,000, at KLIA Cargo on Nov 8.
He said the items were declared as stainless steel items that would be exported to Asian countries.
At the same time, Sazali said JKDM also busted the smuggling of methamphetamine, worth RM324,000 weighing 9 kg, at KLIA Cargo on Oct 23 at about 6 pm.
He said the items were declared as circuit board printers that would be exported to the Oceania.
He said in both cases the syndicates used fake exporter information and JKDM is tracking down the suspects involved. - BERNAMA