SEPANG: With the help of airline cargo staff, a drug syndicate managed to smuggle out methamphetamine to other countries on four occasions over the past five months.
But their activities came to a stop when police busted the syndicate last week with the recovery of 200kg of the drug worth over RM8 million at the KL International Airport (KLIA).
Four suspects, including two airline cargo staff, aged between 34 and 59 were held.
Police learnt that the syndicate had succeeded in smuggling out the drugs disguised as regular cargo.
Federal police narcotics crimes investigations department (NCID) director Commissioner Datuk Razarudin Husain yesterday said that the seized drugs were found in five boxes that were declared as electronic goods and were destined for Auckland, New Zealand.
In recent years, Malaysia has earned some notoriety after several Malaysians were held smuggling illegal drugs into foreign nations.
Early last month, a Malaysian was arrested in Australia’s biggest heroin haul of 451kg worth RM432 million.
The drugs which were hidden in a shipment of ceramic tiles from Malaysia was addressed to a Melbourne business.
Australian police trailed the delivery of the container before nabbing a Malaysian suspect.
Razarudin said police are working closely with the Australian authorities to trace the syndicate involved in the trafficking.
