NILAI (Malaysia) • Malaysia has seized nearly 1.2 tonnes of crystal methamphetamine, officials said yesterday.

The drugs were disguised as tea in a shipment from Myanmar, and six suspected traffickers were arrested.

The record bust comes amid reports that South-east Asia is being flooded with the drug. Indonesia and Thailand have also made record seizures of the drug this year.

A total of 1,187kg of crystal meth, worth at least RM71 million (S$24 million), was shipped from the Myanmar capital, Yangon, to Port Klang on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, said Customs director-general Subromaniam Tholasy. "This is the biggest seizure seen in our history, in terms of value and weight," he added.

Crystal methamphetamine is a form of methamphetamine, which is a highly addictive synthetic drug that is also known as speed, shabu and yaba.

The shipment, seized last Tuesday, was declared "foodstuff" and was bound for a Malaysian trading company based in a KL suburb, Mr Subromaniam said.

Customs officials displayed the shipment, packed in golden yellow tea packets, at its narcotics operations headquarters in Nilai.

REUTERS