Seven Foreign Nationals Including Couple Arrested in RM12.6 Million Drug Bust
Police Foil Cannabis Smuggling Attempt Through KLIA and Kota Warisan
SHAH ALAM — Police have arrested seven foreign nationals, including a couple believed to be acting as drug mules, in three separate raids conducted around Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 and Kota Warisan in Sepang late last month.
Authorities seized approximately 156.7 kilograms of compressed cannabis flowers estimated to be worth RM12.6 million during the operations.
Selangor police chief Shazeli Kahar said the suspects, believed to be from several European countries, were allegedly offered payments ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 Euros as well as 5,000 British pounds to transport drugs from Malaysia to overseas destinations.
According to him, the first raid was conducted on April 28 by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division (NCID) of the KLIA district police headquarters after Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad auxiliary police detected four suspicious suitcases during scanning procedures at the airport terminal.
Police inspections later uncovered 64 plastic packages containing compressed cannabis flowers weighing a total of 67.2 kilograms.
“Police also seized RM580 in cash, several Euros and a luxury wristwatch estimated to be worth RM80,000 during the operation,” he told reporters during a press conference in Shah Alam.
Four individuals, including three men and one woman aged between 18 and 27, were detained in the first operation.
Shazeli said the second raid took place on April 30 after auxiliary police officers detected two additional suspicious suitcases at the same terminal.
Further inspections uncovered 59 plastic packages containing approximately 29.5 kilograms of compressed cannabis flowers.
A 20-year-old man was subsequently arrested to assist investigations.
According to Shazeli, information obtained during investigations later led police to conduct a third raid at a house in Kota Warisan together with NCID officers from KLIA and Sepang district police headquarters.
During the operation, police arrested two additional suspects aged 19 and 25 and seized another 109 plastic packages containing 60 kilograms of compressed cannabis flowers.
He said six out of the seven suspects tested positive for drugs following preliminary urine screening tests.
All suspects have been remanded between seven and 14 days to assist investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Initial investigations found that all suspects had entered Malaysia using social visit passes to carry out drug trafficking activities.
However, police said none of the suspects had previous criminal records in Malaysia.
Shazeli also reminded the public not to be tempted by lucrative payments offered by drug syndicates to act as drug couriers or transport luggage belonging to others without knowing its contents.
According to him, international drug trafficking syndicates are increasingly using foreign nationals as couriers in attempts to evade authorities at national entry points.
Police believe the strict monitoring at airports and close cooperation between security agencies helped prevent the large-scale smuggling attempt from succeeding.
-wilayah.com.my
