AN attempt to smuggle cannabis valued at more than RM6.2 million from a neighbouring country was thwarted after Royal Malaysian Customs (JKDM) officers discovered an abandoned wooden boat along the Kuala Perlis coastline.
Kedah Customs director Wan Marini Wan Hamzah said the raid followed intelligence from the Anti-Money Laundering and Organized Crime Prevention Unit (AMPOMA) and the JKDM Headquarters Intelligence Team on October 13 at the Bukit Putih coastal area.
“In the operation around 10pm, a team from the Langkawi Marine Enforcement Branch, together with the Customs Operational Combat Team (COBRA), discovered an abandoned wooden boat containing four sacks marked with Thai writing.
“Further inspection revealed a substantial quantity of suspected cannabis,” Wan Marini said in a statement.
He added that the total gross weight of the seizure was 67.48 kilograms, with an estimated value of RM6,209,816.
Preliminary investigations suggest the drugs were transported from a neighbouring country via the wooden boat before being abandoned on the shore.
“The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for trafficking in dangerous drugs. If convicted, offenders can face the death penalty or life imprisonment, as well as a minimum of 15 lashes,” he said.
Wan Marini also urged members of the public to provide information related to smuggling activities to assist in curbing such crimes.
Citizens can contact the Customs Toll-Free Line at 1-800-88-8855 or approach any nearby customs office, with the assurance that informants’ identities will remain confidential. - November 11, 2025
