KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN customs officers who became suspicious after finding a television set on a flight have detained an Indian citizen for alleged drug smuggling, an official said on Thursday.

Customs officers in eastern Sarawak state, suspicious that anyone would bring a television all the way from India, discovered 15 pounds (7 kilograms) of Ketamine divided into 46 bags stuffed inside the set, said Rusmani Abdul Sukur, state customs director.

'It's not normal for people to bring a TV. They can buy it here,' he said. 'It's a bit ridiculous.'

The 32-year-old man, who arrived from New Delhi, was detained at the airport in Kuching city, Rusmani said. The man has been remanded for five days and is being investigated under the country's drug act, he said, declining to elaborate further.

The seized ketamine, a drug that can have hallucinogenic effects, has a market value of about RM245,000 (S$102,000), he said.

Earlier this month, Malaysian authorities reportedly seized eramine pills worth RM4 million ringgit hidden in computer units sent from Taiwan after each was found to be unusually heavy. -- AP