BUTTERWORTH: Customs Department officers have successfully seized 12 boxes of Eramin 5 pills worth over RM23mil at the MAS Cargo Complex of the Penang International Airport.

Its deputy director-general (enforcement/compliance) Datuk Zulkifli Yahya said the two pallets of drugs were flown in from Taipei City in Taiwan to Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas on Dec 14.

"Following a tip-off, we monitored the items for almost four days before we moved in to arrest two men trying to transport the items from the MAS Cargo warehouse to their agent warehouse," he told a press conference at the Penang Customs Department enforcement office in Jalan Perusahaan near here on Tuesday (Dec 26).

He said the two men, who work as forwarding agents, were picked up at about 9am on Dec 17, and have been remanded for 12 days pending investigations.

"Our investigations revealed that the cargo items were declared as mechanical parts in their airway bill.

"Our check showed that there were a total of 1,541,000 Eramin 5 pills in the 12 boxes," he said.

Zulkifli added that the Customs Department arrested another man at the enforcement office on Tuesday (Dec 26) when he appeared to assist in the probe.

He said the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act.