SEPANG, May 11 — Customs officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) have foiled attempts to smuggle out cash and drugs, and seized smuggled liquor, with a total value of nearly RM1.12 million in four separate cases last month.

KLIA Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said that in the first case on April 2, the department, in collaboration with the Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit of Malaysia Airports, detained an Indonesian traveller at the Satellite Building, Terminal 1, for allegedly attempting to take RM129,500 in cash out of the country without declaration.

“A search of the traveller’s luggage uncovered the cash, which had been concealed inside a black plastic bag. The traveller failed to declare the cash in Customs Form No. 7 for the amount to be taken out of Malaysia and breached Regulation 55(1)(b) of the Customs Regulations 2019,” he said in a statement today.

He said the traveller was supposed to obtain prior written approval from Bank Negara Malaysia before taking the money out of the country.

The case is being investigated under Section 28B of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. 

He said that in the second case, officers raided a premises in Seri Kembangan at 7.15 pm on April 23 and discovered 17.043 litres of various brands of alcoholic beverages, valued at an estimated RM221,566, with unpaid duties amounting to RM430,835.

“The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 and Section 74(1)(d) of the Excise Act 1976,” he said.

In the third and fourth cases on April 24 and 27 at the international departure gate of KLIA Terminal 1, Zulkifli said three local individuals were detained for allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs out of the country.

He said that at 9.20 am on April 24, officers from the KLIA Customs Enforcement Division, in collaboration with AVSEC Malaysia Airports KLIA, detained a local man who was due to board a flight to Hong Kong after X-ray screening of his luggage revealed suspicious images believed to be drugs.

“A further inspection of the luggage uncovered ketamine weighing 3.6719 kilogrammes, valued at RM183,595. The case has been handed over to the KLIA Enforcement Division for further investigation,” he said.

Zulkifli said that at 5.17 pm on April 27, two local women, who were due to board a flight to Taipei, were detained after X-ray screening of their luggage also revealed suspicious images believed to be drugs.

A search of their luggage uncovered ketamine weighing 4.4836 kilogrammes, valued at RM224,180.

He said both cases are being investigated under Section 39B and 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. — Bernama