Police have uncovered an international drug trafficking operation using drug mules to smuggle cannabis flowers into Europe following the arrest of six suspects at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang recently.
The suspects, including three women aged between 17 and 31, were detained between May 10 and May 16 with 172.8 kilogrammes of cannabis flowers worth an estimated RM13.85 million.
Selangor police chief Shazeli Kahar said investigations revealed that the suspects were promised payments ranging between 3,000 and 5,000 Euros (approximately RM13,000 to RM23,000) each to transport the drugs to Europe.
According to him, all suspects entered Malaysia using social visit passes since the end of April before allegedly using the country as a transit hub for the drug smuggling activities.
“The suspects were believed to be attempting to transport 254 packets of cannabis flowers out to Europe,” he said during a press conference at the Selangor police contingent headquarters.
However, investigations found that the suspects were operating under three separate international syndicates.
Police discovered the drugs after carrying out scans on nine pieces of luggage brought by the suspects at the KLIA terminal.
Shazeli said five of the suspects are European nationals while another is from a neighbouring country.
“One suspect tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), while background checks found that none of them had prior criminal records,” he added.
All suspects have been remanded for 14 days and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
In a separate case, Shazeli said patrol officers from Ampang police station arrested a 22-year-old local man believed to be acting as a drug transporter in front of a residential property in Ampang Jaya on May 1.
A search of the suspect’s Ford Kuga sports utility vehicle (SUV) uncovered 79 plastic packets containing suspected methamphetamine weighing 79kg and valued at RM3.95 million.
Police believe the suspect failed to complete the drug delivery operation. He has since been remanded for four days to assist investigations under the same offence.
