POLICE SEIZE 57KG SYABU, KETAMIN, NAB FIVE IRANIANS, INDIAN

SHAH ALAM (Selangor, Malaysia), Jan 18 (Bernama) -- The police have plugged a
major international drug pipeline into the country with the arrest of five
Iranians and an Indian national for allegedly smuggling about 57kg of syabu and
ketamin recently.

They were picked up in separate operations at the Low-Cost Carrier terminal
(LCCT) and the KL International Airport between Jan 13 and 15.

Of the five Iranians, three are women, two of whom were related.

It is believed the drugs, worth about RM8.69 million, were meant to have been
handed over to a 'middle-man' when it was intercepted by the police.
(US$1=RM3.05)

Initial investigations revealed that four of the Iranian suspects had concealed
the syabu inside girdles tied around their waists while the other hid the drug
in his luggage.

The Indian national had wrapped the ketamin in 25 bundles of cloth.

Selangor narcotics criminal investigation chief Assistant Commissioner Nordin
Kadir said four of the Iranians, including the women, were nabbed at the LCCT in
Sepang about 1.30pm on Jan 13, upon arrival from Teheran.

"On checking, each wore the drug-containing girdle around their waists, with
each girdle containing about four kilogrammes of syabu, totalling 28.34kg and
with a street value of RM7.09 million.

"The police also seized RM3,030 and 38,000 Iranian Riyals from the
suspects," he told a press conference here Monday.

Nordin said the three women were scheduled to return home Monday, when they were
nabbed, adding that the suspects, aged between 23 and 49, were remanded until
Jan 20 to facilitate investigations.

In a separate case the same day, the police picked up another Iranian about 3pm,
upon arrival from Abu Dhabi at the KL International Airport.

Nordin said the 34-year-old suspect was found to have 3.5kg of syabu worth about
RM850,000, hidden in his baggage.

"The suspect, who had entered the country for the second time, was also remanded
until Jan 20.

"We are checking whether he and the other four suspects detained at the LCCT
belong to the same drug syndicate," he said.

At the same airport, two days later, an Indian national was arrested when he
arrived from Bangalore at 1.15am.

The police seized ketamin weighing about 25kg and worth about RM750,000 from the
34-year-old suspect, said Nordin, adding that the drug was hidden in 25 bundles
of woven cloth.

The suspect has been remanded until Jan 22.
-- BERNAMA