KUALA LUMPUR: Police have foiled a drug trafficking syndicate’s attempt to smuggle 6.2kg of ketamine using 154 stainless steel bowls. The drugs have a reported street value of RM900,000.
Two traffickers were detained on Tuesday. They were hiding the ketamine between two bowls commonly used for serving Cendol. The duo were getting their consignment ready to be sent by courier.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Investigation Department (NCID) deputy director Zulkifli Ali said his department has increased its surveillance efforts as traffickers have developed a variety of inventive ways to hide their drugs.
“We managed to intercept the smuggling attempt to Taiwan based on surveillance and intelligence,” he told reporters at the Cheras district police headquarters, here today.
“The duo managed to conceal the drugs between the bowls. We could have overlooked this as it is not obvious.”
Zulkifli said following the seizure, two syndicate members, aged 22 and 23, were detained at separate locations in the Klang Valley.
“One of the suspects had prior record for hardcore crime and a vehicle was also seized during the operation,“ he added.
Meanwhile, the federal police have detained 76,311 locals and 5,004 foreigners for drug-related offence from Jan 1 to June 10.
He said 38,608 individuals tested positive for drugs, while another 30,871 had the illegal substance in their possession and 12,366 were caught for trafficking drugs.
The police also seized synthetic drugs, namely syabu weighing 3,599 kg, ketamine (128.6 kg); eramin 5 pills (56.42 kg), yaba pills (43.36 kg) and ecstasy pills (31.33 kg). Also seized were cannabis (514.2 kg) and heroin (345 kg).
