Relax - Longer wait for KLIA arrivals

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PETALING JAYA - Passengers arriving at KLIA may be delayed by an hour to give Customs officers more time to check for drugs.

Customs Department assistant director-general Datuk Zainul Abidin Taib said more time was needed to conduct a thorough check.

"We will get passengers to form a line and it might take a little longer before they can exit.

"This will give Customs officers more time to check for drugs and other illegal substances," he told reporters after attending the national-level World Customs Day celebration.

Zainul Abidin said it was still a proposal and talks were ongoing with Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) and other agencies.

He added that a more stringent procedure was necessary as the number of drug smuggling cases in KLIA had increased.

"We are also planning to get a high-tech machine at KLIA which can better detect drugs,'' he said, adding that last year, 92 arrests were made in KLIA and a total of RM183mil worth of drugs were seized.

On another matter, Zainul Abidin said his department was investigating a report that RM20mil in contraband cigarettes originating from Malaysia were seized by Greek authorities at the port of Piraeus recently.

He said initial checks found the party responsible for the shipment had declared that it was exporting cigarettes via Port Klang.

"They have not contravened any laws here but we have yet to determine the nature of their declaration with the Greek authorities," he said.

According to reports, the name on the transport documents was false.

Longer wait for KLIA arrivals

By Mazwin Nik Anis, The Star | Fri, Jan 27 2012

Passengers may be delayed by an hour to give Customs officers more time to check for drugs.

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southeast asia
malaysia
airlines & airports