GEORGE TOWN, Sept 11 – The Penang Customs Department arrested five Indonesian men with seized from them 18 packages of drugs weighing 22.067kg worth RM3.17 million at the Perai Dock, Seberang Perai, on Tuesday. Penang Customs Department Director Datuk Mohd Paudzi Man said in the 5pm raid, a team from the Penang Customs Marine Unit arrested the five men, aged between 30 and 54, and inspected the Indonesian-registered boat.
“This boat has actually been given a discharge port to return to Indonesia on September 1 last year.According to the Customs Act, all the boats that were release should leave within 24 hours. But until 8 September, they have yet to take off and giving rise to suspicion to customs to detain the boat. The suspect is on loading used goods into the boat when the Customs team punched on them,” he said at a press conference here on Thursday.
He said upon inspection of the boat with the help of sniffer dogs from Penang Customs Narcotics Unit, the raiding team found 19 packages hidden in the wall of the boat.
He said further examination of the package found that 10 of them contain methamphetamine wwighing 10.747kg, while eight packages filled with the drug of ecstasy weighing 11.32kg. Another package containing a Norinco semi-automatic pistol 9mm, 31 live bullets and ammunition petals,” he said.
In the same time, he said that based on the boat’s sailing record, this is the fourth time the boat had entered Malaysia since June last year. He said all the men are being remanded for 14 days until Sept 22 for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
“I would like to urged the public to provide information relating to any known smuggling such as drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and fireworks by calling toll free 1-800-88-8855 Customs. Customs Department assured the identity of any informants will be kept confidential and rewards in cash can be considered for any information which is producing the case,” said Mohd Pudzi.
