Five Malaysians have been arrested in Japan after allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine hidden inside their shoes through Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
According to NHK World Japan, four of the five suspects have admitted to the allegations, while the remaining suspect has denied them.
Police said on Monday that the suspects were detained after allegedly attempting to enter Japan from Malaysia carrying cocaine estimated to be worth US$757,300 (approximately RM3.2 million).
Customs officers at the airport reportedly discovered packages of cocaine concealed beneath the insoles of each suspect’s shoes during inspections.
One of the suspects, Mohd Danial Farhan Abdul Rahman, reportedly told authorities that he had met an individual through a social media application who later asked him to transport drugs overseas.
According to the report, the individual allegedly offered him a substantial payment in exchange for carrying out the task and provided him with a pair of shoes to wear during the journey.
Japanese police and relevant authorities believe all five suspects had been instructed to transport the drugs into the country.
Investigations are ongoing to determine whether an international drug trafficking syndicate was involved in the alleged smuggling operation.
