SOUTH KOREANS, NEPALESE ARRESTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING

BY ZAKARIA ABDUL WAHAB

SINGAPORE, Sept 1 (Bernama) - Three South Koreans were arrested by the Singapore authorities for attempting to smuggle out two kilogrammes of high grade heroin to Australia at Changi Airport on Sunday.

The No. 4 grade heroin was discovered hidden in shoes of the three men aged
between 40 to 52 years, according to Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB)
in a statement.

Also arrested were five Nepalese men, aged between 23 to 30 years, who
allegedly coordinated the drug smuggling attempt.

CNB said it got wind of the drug run to Australia after receiving a tip-off
about two weeks ago that a Nepalese drug coordinator was in Singapore.

The bureau immediately conducted a joint-operation with the Police
Intelligence Department and late last week they gathered that the Nepalese would
be using three South Korean drug couriers to smuggle the drug from Singapore to
Australia.

Last Saturday, the three men flew into Singapore from South Korea and
checked into a hotel in the Bugis area where the Nepalese drug coordinator met
up with them.
On Sunday, the three South Koreans took a taxi to Changi Airport accompanied
by the Nepalese man with his two accomplices in another taxi.

All were arrested in Changi Airport Terminal 3 at around 5.20 am, CNB said.

In a follow-up operation, two more Nepalese men were arrested, one at a
hotel and another at an apartment along Desker Road, where three pairs of shoes,
pen knives, masking tape and shoe polish were discovered from them.

CNB said all the eight men who were unemployed would be charged under the
Misuse of Drugs Act for exporting a controlled drug, if convicted, all might
face the death penalty.
-- BERNAMA