TWO PAKISTANIS, ONE IRANIAN ARRESTED WITH DRUGS WORTH SOME US$400,000

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Two Pakistanis and one Iranian man
were arrested with 10kg of drugs worth RM1.5 million (US$441,176) at the KL
International Airport (KLIA) over the last five days.

Selangor Narcotics CID chief ACP Nordin Kadir said the first involved a 30
year-old Pakistani man who arrived from Doha, Qatar at 9.50pm on Feb 11.

"A check on his luggage found 101 plastic packets believed to be heroin. The
two kg of drugs is worth RM160,000 ((US$47,058)," he told a press conference
here Weddesday.

Nordin said the high grade heroin was cleverly concealed in the lining of a
leather jacket.

The next day, a 36 year-old Iranian was arrested on arrival from Dubai at
8pm. A check on his luggage found four plastic packets believed to be syabu
weighing four kg worth RM1 million (us$294,117).

Yesterday, a 36 year-old Pakistani was arrested after police found four
plastic packets believed to be high grade heroin.

The heroin weighing four kg worth RM320,000 (US$94,117)was found hidden in
his luggage.

Nordin said the man arrived at 10.20am on a flight from Teheran which
stopped at Bahrain before proceeding to Kuala Lumpur.

The Iranian had been to Malaysia four times while the Pakistanis had been
here once and twice respectively. They came to Malaysia as tourists.

The trio were remanded under Section 39B of Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which
carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

Police were trying to ascertain whether the trio had links with
international trafficking syndicates that used foreigners as mules to carry the
drugs to Malaysia.

Forty-four foreigners had been arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into
the country via KLIA since early this year.

Nordin said police are monitoring all passengers arriving at KLIA with
special attention given to those from the Middle East.
-- BERNAMA