CUSTOMS INTENSIFIES ENFORCEMENT AT 10 ENTRY POINTS

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Customs will intensify
enforcement activities at all the 10 entry points into the country to curb drug
smuggling.

Customs Deputy Director-General (Enforcement and Compliance), Mohamed Khalid
Yusuf said the move was taken following the rise in the number of drug
seizures at these locations, with 76 cases reported compared with 31 cases in
the previous year.

There was a steep rise in the value of all the drugs seized at the entry
points concerned amounting to RM62.4 million last year compared with RM17.6
million in 2008, he said.

"Of the total arrested, 41 were foreigners while four were locals. Forty of
those arrested had been charged in court," he said when contacted by Bernama,
here today.

Besides the KL International Airport (KLIA), he said other entry points to
the country were through Penang, Kedah, Kuala Perlis, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching,
Kelantan, Port Klang, the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT)and Langkawi.

On Thursday, the department disclosed that drug smuggling activities using
the KLIA as a transit point had now reached a disturbing level.

For this month alone, Mohamed Khalid said RM7.7 million worth of drugs were
seized. (US$1=RM3.36)
-- BERNAMA


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