KUALA LUMPUR — Customs officers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) thwarted four smuggling attempts last month, seizing 1.53 million cigarette sticks and 60.47kg of cannabis buds with a combined value exceeding RM6.17 million, including duties and taxes.
KLIA Customs director Aspalila Ag Tuah said two of the cases involved attempts to smuggle cigarettes through the KLIA Free Commercial Zone, while the remaining two involved cannabis buds, Bernama reported.
She said the largest drug seizure involved 47.8kg of cannabis buds, estimated to be worth RM3.824 million, which were discovered inside two abandoned pieces of luggage at the Lost and Found office in the International Arrival Hall of KLIA Terminal 1.
The luggage had been checked in for a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi on July 14 but was later abandoned by the passengers.
“A scan of the luggage revealed suspicious images, and further inspection uncovered airtight plastic packets believed to contain cannabis buds.
“The airline was called in to assist in tracing the owners of the luggage,” she told a press conference here today.
Aspalila said another drug-related case on July 13 involved the seizure of 12.675kg of cannabis buds worth RM1.014 million, which had been concealed inside boxes containing children’s toys.
She said the drugs were discovered in four packages at the KLIA Customs mail and courier centre and were believed to have been intended for export to a European country through cargo services.
“The syndicate concealed the cannabis in airtight plastic packaging before placing it inside children’s toy boxes to evade detection by the authorities,” she said.
Both cases are being investigated under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Meanwhile, Aspalila said KLIA Customs also foiled two attempts to smuggle 1.53 million cigarette sticks on July 29 and 30, involving cigarettes, duties and taxes valued at approximately RM1.35 million.
In the first case, an inspection of a warehouse at the KLIA Free Commercial Zone on July 29 uncovered 410,000 cigarette sticks believed to have been imported without payment of customs duties under an air waybill from a West Asian country.
The cigarettes were valued at about RM102,000, while duties and taxes amounted to RM290,152.
“The consignment was declared as clothing to mislead the authorities and circumvent the requirement for an import permit,” she added.
The following day, Customs officers found another 1.12 million cigarette sticks worth RM168,000 at a warehouse in the same zone. The shipment carried duties and taxes amounting to RM786,400.
Aspalila said the cigarettes had arrived from an Asian country for transit and were believed to have been destined for a country in Oceania.
“This time, the consignment was declared as slippers to evade detection by the authorities,” she said.
She added that the companies responsible for handling both shipments had been called in to assist with investigations. – August 13, 2026