NILAI, Sept 15 — Malaysian Customs (JKDM) recorded the biggest seizure of the year when it seized 676 kg of methamphetamine, estimated to be worth RM40.56 million at Port West in Port Klang on September 10.

Customs director-general Datuk Zazuli Johan said the confiscation was made when a Narcotics Branch team from JKDM headquarters raided a 40-foot container and found the drugs in tea packages wrapped in aluminum and hidden in an industrial machine.

"We believe this to be the latest tactic of drug syndicates to evade detection by hiding the drug packages in a large-capacity industrial molding machine,” he said at a press conference here today.

He said the container was bound for export to Australia, while the origin of the drugs is still being investigated.

He said a 27-year-old local man, who is a representative of the owner of the container, has been arrested to help in investigations of the case under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment with at least 15 lashes.

"We do not rule out the possibility that more suspects will be arrested in the near future,” he said. — Bernama