KANGAR: The Customs Department detained a Thai woman and seized an estimated 5.252kg of heroin worth RM492,375 at the Padang Besar Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex on Wednesday (Aug 28).
Perlis Customs Department director Ismail Hashim said the woman, 30, was detained by the Passenger Inspection Special Unit (UKPP) at the complex at 6.40pm when the scanned luggage was found to contain banned goods.
"A thorough inspection found each of the two handbags and two backpacks containing brownish packets hidden in special compartments.
"Upon inspecting the packets, they were found to contain white powder suspected to be heroin," he told a media conference at the State Customs Complex here today.
He said the woman claimed that she was on her way to Kuala Lumpur to celebrate a friend's birthday and planned to take a taxi from Padang Besar to the bus station in Kangar.
I
smail said the drugs were believed to have been obtained from Bangkok and meant for the Kuala Lumpur market.
"A remand order was issued by the Kangar Magistrate's Court yesterday (Aug 29) and the woman has been remanded for seven days to assist in the investigation, which is being carried out under Section 39(B)(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952," he said.
– Bernama