JOHOR BARU: A drug smuggling syndicate using the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Gelang Patah as a transit point has been dismantled by the state Customs Department earlier this month, just five months after a similar bust in May.
With a similar modus operandi of hiding the suspected cocaine in the air-conditioned space of a container, a team from the department's Narcotics Branch has achieved the largest seizure of the year, weighing 60.2 kilogrammes with an estimated value of RM12.05 million.
Johor Customs director Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi said a refrigerated container declared to contain fresh frozen shrimp was seized based on information from the Southern Zone Intelligence Branch during the raid at 11.15am on Oct 1 at the port's container terminal.
He said initial investigations revealed that there were 19 tons of shrimp worth RM735,000, according to Customs Form 6 (Transhipment Manifest) and the Bill of Lading.
However, a thorough inspection of the container uncovered 62 rectangular plastic packages hidden in the air-conditioning compartment.
"Further examination of one of the packages found white powder believed to be cocaine, which is classified under Schedule One of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
"We seized the 62 packages, estimated to weigh 60.2 kilogrammes with an estimated value of RM12.05 million," he said at a press conference at Menara Kastam here today.
He noted that the container from India had docked for two to three days at the port and was believed to be headed for Miami, USA.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, and further investigations are ongoing, including collaboration with international enforcement agencies.
On May 27, the state Customs Department had foiled a similar tactic used by an international drug syndicate that attempted to smuggle 51 kilogrammes of cocaine valued at RM10.3 million in a container declared to contain 2,900 packages of fresh onions.
Further inspection revealed 50 plastic packages containing white powder hidden in the air-conditioning compressor compartment of the container.
The container was believed to have originated from China, with its final destination being a company in Kuching, Sarawak.