PORT DICKSON, Dec 17 — The Royal Malaysian Customs thwarted 126 attempts to smuggle 1,582.50kg of drugs worth RM116 million between January and December 15 this year.

Its director-general Datuk Seri Khazali Ahmad said the figure showed a slight increase compared to 117 attempts involving 1,500kg of drugs worth RM162 million recorded in the corresponding period last year.

“Of the total, the KL International Airport (KLIA) recorded the highest number of attempts at 65, involving 710.68kg of drugs worth RM46 million,” he told a press conference after chairing the 73rd Malaysian Customs Directors Conference here today.

Khazali said between November 29 and last Monday, KLIA Customs also managed to thwart four attempts to smuggle 7.748kg of drugs worth RM1.42 million.

He said two cases were also reported at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang last Monday.

“The first case occurred at 2.30am when a Chinese woman was detained. We found two kilogrammes of drugs worth RM380,000 hidden in a special compartment of her luggage. She had just arrived from Hong Kong.

“At 3am, another Chinese woman arriving from Macau was detained. Two kilogrammes of methamphetamine worth RM380,000 were found in her luggage. Both of them had been remanded to facilitate further investigation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Khazali said he had yet to receive the full report from the police concerning the arrest of 11 individuals, including senior law enforcers, in several raids in Kuala Lumpur since Saturday.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin in a separate press conference said they were suspected to be involved in an international syndicate which had been active in smuggling drugs worth RM14 million via KLIA.

Khazali said he would not provide any protection if those involved were Customs officers.

“Let the police investigate the case first. If it’s true that those involved were Customs officers, I will not compromise with any of them, let alone to protect them. We will give full cooperation to the police in the investigation,” he added. — Bernama