Kuching: The Sarawak Royal Malaysian Customs Department successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle drugs worth RM1.32 million through Kuching International Airport (KIA), leading to the arrest of two local men in separate cases.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sarawak Customs director Datuk Norizan Yahya disclosed that both suspects employed a similar tactic by removing their baggage tags upon arrival at KIA to evade identification as the luggage owners. In the first incident, around 9.10 pm, a Narcotics Branch team detained a local man who had arrived on a flight from Johor Bahru. During the luggage inspection, authorities discovered 13 Chinese tea packets suspected to contain 13.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an estimated value of RM660,000.

Shortly thereafter, another local man was apprehended using the same method to avoid detection. The inspection revealed 13 Chinese tea packets allegedly containing 13.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and one red packet containing 83 Erimin 5 pills, with the total seizure valued at RM660,560. Norizan stated that preliminary investigations indicate a connection between the two cases, with suspects allegedly earning RM1,000 per kilogram of drugs smuggled.

The case is currently being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which prescribes the death penalty or life imprisonment and, if the death penalty is not imposed, up to 15 strokes of the cane upon conviction.