JAKARTA: Malaysian and Indonesian Customs have seized various types of drugs weighing a total of 247.9kg in an effort to combat cross-border drug smuggling.

The enforcement actions in July involved coordinated operations aimed at dismantling drug distribution networks in several border areas between the two countries, which could have supplied 1,118,000 people.

The Royal Malaysian Customs Department successfully seized 112.3kg of various drugs in 41 operations in Sarawak and Sabah.

The seizures included 86kg of methamphetamine, 17.1kg of ketum, 7.2kg of cannabis and 2kg of ketamine.

Customs deputy director-general of enforcement and compliance Ribuan Abdullah said international cooperation was crucial in combating drug smuggling.

“The department is committed to enhancing cooperation and facilitating the sharing of intelligence with Indonesia’s directorate-general of Customs and Excise (DJBC), particularly in Kalimantan,” he told Bernama.

DJBC itself seized 102.6kg of methamphetamine, 1.14g of cannabis, 60,000 Ecstasy pills, and 130mg of synthetic cannabis 4-Fluoro-MDMB-Butinaca in 12 cases in the Kalimantan region.

“The rise in drug smuggling activities requires tighter and more coordinated surveillance at official border crossings and smuggling routes,” said DJBC’s Narcotics Interdiction director R. Syarif Hidayat.

The peak of the coordinated cooperation between the Malaysian Customs and DJBC this year was marked by the closing ceremony of the Joint Task Force on Narcotics held at the DJBC headquarters in East Jakarta on Wednesday.

Also present were Malaysian Embassy Customs counsellor Ahmad Talib and head of the Analysis and Targeting Sub-Directorate, Directorate of Narcotics Interdiction, Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang.

The operations from July 1-31 took place in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, which borders Sarawak, as well as East Kalimantan, which borders Sabah.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/08/31/malaysia-and-indonesia-join-hands-to-bust-drug-smuggling