Perlis Customs intercepts over 61kg of cannabis worth RM188,000 in three separate smuggling attempts from Thailand, with drugs destined for northern and Klang Valley markets.

KANGAR: The Perlis Customs Department has thwarted three attempts to smuggle over 61 kilogrammes of cannabis into Malaysia from Thailand, with the seized drugs valued at more than RM188,000.

Director Ismail Hashim revealed that the first seizure occurred on March 3 at the Padang Besar border entry point, where officers discovered 10.812kg of cannabis worth RM33,517.20 hidden inside a black plastic package among indiscriminately dumped rubbish.

“The area is filled with rubbish thrown indiscriminately, and certain parties used the opportunity to place the drugs, which were in a plastic package, there for them to be collected by others later,” Ismail told a media conference at the State Customs Complex.

He added that the package contained a box with nine compressed blocks of the suspected drug.

In the early hours of March 5, customs personnel spotted a suspicious boat in the waters off Kuala Perlis, prompting two men on board to speed towards Thai waters after discarding a sack and a box into the sea.

Officers retrieved the items and found 20 compact slabs believed to be cannabis, weighing 20.20kg with an estimated value of RM62,000.

Later that same evening at 10.30 pm, a further 30.83kg of cannabis worth RM92,490 was seized after authorities inspected two abandoned boxes at the Pulau Batu Layang docking area in Kuala Perlis.

“The boxes were found to contain 30 compressed blocks believed to be cannabis,” Ismail stated.

All cases are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

Ismail confirmed that the seized cannabis was believed to be destined for distribution in northern Malaysia and the Klang Valley market.

 The Sun Malaysia