POLICE UNCOVER NEW TACTIC USED BY IRANIANS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS INTO THE COUNTRY

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), April 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysian police have uncovered a
new tactic used by Iranians to smuggle drugs into the country, after a number of
arrests at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, recently.

Selangor Narcotics Chief ACP Nordin Kadir said the new tactic or modus
operandi was uncovered with the arrest of five Iranian men, who used the same
method to smuggle in drugs through the KLIA.

"Upon arrival, the men aroused the suspicion of police by not making use of
the long trolley handle bars to drag their bags and instead used the small
normal bag handles to drag their large bags.

"When we inspected their bags, it contained just a few clothing although
they used large bags. Upon further investigation, drugs (syabu) was found inside
the empty portion of the handle bars," he told reporters here today.

Nordin said it was the first time such an attempt by Iranians to smuggle
drugs into the country was uncovered by police.


He added that during the first incident at 10.50pm on March 29, police
detained two Iranian men who had flown in from Dubai, aged 24 and 26, and seized
1.5kg of syabu, hidden in three bags.

Police also seized foreign currency from various countries and RM317
(US$1=RM3.2) from the two men who have been to Malaysia a number of times
before.

"In the second incident at 8.40am on April 3, another Iranian, aged 32,
was detained and 450 grams of syabu and foreign currency seized," he said.

On April 4, at about 7.30am, two more Iranians, both aged 24, were detained
with 600 grams of syabu and some foreign currency.

He added that the 2.55kg total amount of syabu seized, was worth RM625,000.

All detained suspects would be investigated under Section 39B of the
Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death penalty if convicted.

--BERNAMA