Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian customs authorities detained an Indian national attempting to smuggle in 14.84 kilograms of the drug ketamine at an airport in the northern Penang state, a news report said Saturday.

The suspect, aged in his 50s, had stuffed the drugs into three stainless steel food containers, said state customs director Matrang Suhaili.

"We believe that this ketamine smuggling is the work of the same syndicate, because a similar method of bringing in the drugs was detected in January, also involving an Indian national," he was quoted as saying by the Berita Harian daily.

He said the drugs were worth some 500,000 ringgit (134,410 dollars).

Matrang said the suspect claimed he did not know the contents of the containers, and was just following the directions of another person in New Delhi.

Police have detained the man for questioning, who is to be charged for drug trafficking which carries a mandatory death sentence. (dpa)