Customs director-general Abdul Latif Abdul Kadir said an operation was carried out on Aug 16 by a team from its narcotics branch and found the clear substance hidden in tea packets which were filled in a number of boxes.

He said the modus operandi of the syndicate was to declare the goods as electrical appliances under the general cargo category to avoid detection by the authorities.

“Our inspection found 184 packets of drugs hidden in 10 boxes, believed to be for export to Asia-Pacific countries.

“Two men aged 35 and 43 were also arrested during the operation,” he said at a news conference here today.

Following the arrest, the department raided two separate houses around Nilai and nabbed two local men aged 42 and 45, believed to be the masterminds behind the drug smuggling syndicate.

Latif said the customs department believed that this was the 11th time the syndicate had tried to smuggle out drugs through KLIA using the same tactic, adding that the drugs were obtained from the local market.

“We are tracking down several other individuals believed to be involved with the syndicate,” he said.

He said all the suspects were remanded for 14 days from Aug 17 and the case was being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.