FOUR MALAYSIANS HELD FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING IN CHENNAI

By P. Vijian

CHENNAI, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- Four Malaysians, allegedly linked to Indian drug
suppliers, were held in Chennai for trying to smuggle out 27.5kg of ephedrine
sealed in woman's garments.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), India's elite drug enforcement agency,
arrested the Malaysians, along with an Indian national in connection with the
crime in Chennai on Sunday night.

"We have some very good leads and working on it, we suspect they are linked
to a bigger drug supplier in Malaysia," NCB south zonal director Davidson
Devasirvatham told Bernama Tuesday.

All the suspects were arrested at the Anna International Airport while
waiting to aboard the Chennai-Kuala Lumpur flight, after checking in their
baggage.

NCB investigators discovered the contraband in powder form, packed in small
packets weighing about 500gms, hidden in "salwar kameez," popular Indian lady
suits.

Ephedrine, a psychotropic substance used to produce stimulants, is becoming
traffickers' favourite contraband item due to the growing demand as a "party
drug" among teenagers.

-- BERNAMA