Customs seize RM1.4mil ganja at Rantau Panjang duty-free zone
RANTAU PANJANG: The Customs Department seized more than 14.398kg of ganja worth over RM1.4 million at the Rantau Panjang Duty-Free Zone on May 27.
Kelantan Customs Department director Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long said acting on a public tip-off, the enforcement team found a suitcase left unattended in the area at 9.15pm
"Checks showed there were 10 transparent plastic packets suspected to contain ganja flowers found inside the suitcase," he said in a statement today.
"At the same time, a Thai national carrying another bag at the same location was also inspected.
"We found 15 more transparent plastic packets, also suspected to contain ganja flowers."
Initial investigations showed the suspect had used a smuggling route along Sungai Golok, entering the country through an illegal base and exiting via the duty-free zone.
"The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug trafficking," he said.
Wan Jamal added that such smuggling activities not only result in revenue losses for the country but also pose a threat to national security and public wellbeing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
12 hours ago
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: E-waste land
MALAYSIA doesn't want to be an e-waste garbage bin for the world, but it just can't help being one. Year after year, an estimated one thousand containers make it past our seaports. Some through our porous land and maritime borders. The Customs Department tells us that importers — or are they smugglers? — are bringing in the containers by falsely declaring them to contain anything but e-waste. Some containers don't make it through the inspection of the department, but many do. How many is anyone's guess. The hundreds of illegal e-waste factories throughout the country give a picture of the number of containers that made it undetected. Some are hidden in plantations; others operate openly, in plain sight, visible to the eyes of the authorities. The most recent raids from June 16 to June 19 by 12 agencies on 57 premises in a nationwide crackdown show how bad a crisis the illegal e-waste smuggling is. The police, which led the raids in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Inland Revenue Board, estimated the seizures and revenue loss to the government to be RM1.003 billion. The 57 raided premises were almost a national affair, with 16 in Selangor, 12 in Sabah, six each in Kedah and Sarawak, five each in Perak and Johor, four in Penang, two in Kelantan and one in Terengganu. The raids also yielded 453 arrests, with only 41 Malaysians being nabbed. The rest were from the usual suspects: China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan and Nepal. From Jan 1 last year to June 19, the police arrested 1,061 people. This should frighten the nation into action before the crisis becomes a catastrophe. But the authorities appear to be facing, not insurmountable, but surmountable hurdles. One such revealed itself when the crackdown was launched. Although police intelligence revealed that more than 57 premises were operating illegally, many were found closed on the day of the raids. This, according to Federal Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim, raises concerns as to whether some operators may have been tipped off, the New Straits Times quoted him as saying. Enemies within aren't new threats for enforcement units. But which of the 12 agencies leaked it would be something for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to uncover. Punishment not matching the crime is another hurdle. Consider the Customs Act 1967. Anyone making false declarations can be fined up to RM500,000 or imprisoned for up to seven years, or both. A fine of RM500,000 is just a trifling sum for smugglers. Be that as it may, how many "importers" have been slapped with a RM500,000 fine or a seven-year imprisonment? As unheard of as hen's teeth. The Customs Department must do better by convincing the court to impose the maximum of punishment because illegal e-waste smuggling is a national crisis. While the government must provide the enforcers and regulators with the necessary resources to do a good job, they, too, have to go on an internal journey to weed out corrupt officers. Robust enforcement is not possible any other way. Absent this, containers of illegal e-waste will keep arriving on our shores, turning the crisis into a meltdown.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Thai monk arrested in disguise for repeatedly providing shelter to illegal Burmese workers
YANGON: A Thai monk who repeatedly provided shelter to illegal Burmese workers has been arrested in plainclothes, according to Thai media reports. A monk who allowed illegal Burmese workers to hide more than 20 times at a monastery in Toray, on the border of Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, was arrested in disguise on Friday (June 19). It was reported that a special operations team was ordered to arrest illegal workers after it was discovered that they were using religious sites as shelters. The monk reportedly admitted that he had granted asylum to migrant workers more than 20 times. The Kanchanaburi District Administrator said that since Kanchanaburi Province borders Myanmar and has many natural routes, there is a lot of illegal entry, and that strict vigilance is being exercised. - Eleven Media/ANN
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Kepong drug bust nets 70kg ganja, two in custody
KUALA LUMPUR: Two men were arrested while some 73.25kg of ganja were seized following a raid in Kepong here. Based on intelligence gathered, Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) personnel intercepted the suspects' vehicle in Jalan Baiduri and detained the two locals, aged 38 and 33, at about 1.25am on Tuesday. Bukit Aman NCID acting director Deputy Comm Mat Zani @Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali said the raiding team uncovered 70 compressed packages containing ganja, weighing 73.25kg, after a thorough search of the vehicle. 'We believe the street value of the seized drugs is RM227,063. It has the potential to feed the habit of 146,492 drug users if distributed,' he said in a statement yesterday. Initial investigations revealed that the ganja was smuggled from a neighbouring country through the Perlis border and was intended for distribution in the Klang Valley, he said. The suspects are believed to have acted as 'transporters' for the syndicate and have been active since early this year. 'Both suspects tested negative for drugs. However, background checks revealed extensive criminal records,' he added. DCP Mat Zani said the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty or life imprisonment, along with at least 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction. 'We have also taken action under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988, seizing two pairs of gold earrings valued at RM1,950. 'This brings the total value of the seizure and confiscated items to RM229,013,' he said, adding that both suspects had been remanded for seven days. 'This successful operation highlights the commitment of the NCID in combating the country's number one enemy – drug abuse. 'We urge the public to relay any information regarding drug-related activities via the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222,' he added. Separately, four drug traffickers were arrested following raids in the Sepang district. Sepang OCPD Asst Comm Norhizam Bahaman said the suspects, three men and a woman, aged between 27 and 39, were detained on Wednesday. 'We seized various drugs worth RM36,500. 'All suspects were from the same village and they have been friends since they were little,' he told a press conference yesterday. 'We believe the suspects were transporters for the syndicate, which has been active since 2016. They were paid RM1,600 for each successful transport of drugs,' he said. ACP Norhizam said the group managed to evade the police previously as they used rented cars to deliver the contraband and stayed in different budget hotels while en route to their destinations. 'The male suspects tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine while the female suspect tested negative for drugs. 'Two of the suspects have criminal records,' he said.
