SEPANG: A parcel of "pharmaceutical substances" has been seized by the Customs Department after a scan revealed it was actually RM1.2mil worth of ketamine.

       Customs Department deputy director general (enforcement/compliance) Datuk Sazali Mohamad said they detected the parcel at around 9.40am on Aug 28 at the KLIA Mail and Courier Centre here.

       "Checks revealed the parcel came from Central Asia and arrived in Malaysia on Aug 25.

       "We scanned the parcel and found 20 aluminum foil packets containing at least 20.14kg of ketamine," he told reporters on Tuesday (Sept 5).

       He said further checks revealed the receiver's address on the parcel was in Nilai.

       "We sent officers to check on the address and found that there was no such address.

       "We are now working to identify those involved in bringing in the parcel and who was meant to receive it," he said.

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       Sazali said they believe the drugs were packed in aluminium foil packets to avoid detection from the department's scanners.

       "Our scanners were more than capable of detecting the drugs.

       "Since January this year, Customs officials have detected 74 drug cases at KLIA involving seizures of RM13.39mil worth of drugs.

       "Among the drugs seized are 142.87kg of syabu worth RM5.21mil as well as 15.18kg of cocaine worth RM3.03mil and 29.03kg of ketamine worth RM1.74mil," he said.