SEPANG: Two employees of a cargo airline working at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) were among four men arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle 200 kg of drugs to New Zealand.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) director Datuk Razarudin Husain said the four local men, aged between 34 and 59, were arrested in several raids at KLIA and in Klang Valley from Oct 22-26.

He said the arrests were made after the security detail of Malaysia Airport Berhad became suspicious over the contents of five boxes brought in by a man addressed to Auckland.

"Police then inspected the box declared as electronic goods and found 180 packages of syabu drugs weighing 200 kg estimated to be worth RM8.1 million.

"Two employees of a cargo airline who were arrested acted as facilitators for the syndicate involved to export the drugs overseas," he said at a press conference at KLIA District police headquarters here today.

Razarudin said initial police investigations found that the syndicate had completed four drug shipments out of the country using the same modus operandi since April.

"Police are currently gathering information on the leader and other members of the syndicate and we believe we will be making arrests soon," he said.

According to Razarudin, urine tests found one of the arrested men positive for cannabis and all of them were remanded until Nov 5. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Police also seized various assets belonging to the suspects, estimated to be worth RM234,955, including a Ford Ranger, RM3,560 in cash and a watch.

-- BERNAMA