Five Malaysians Arrested in Tokyo for Cocaine Smuggling, says Inquirer.net
Five Malaysian nationals were arrested at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on October 10 after Japanese customs authorities discovered approximately 5 kilograms of cocaine hidden beneath the insoles of their shoes, according to globalnation.inquirer.net. The illicit haul carries an estimated street value of 120 million yen, or roughly RM3.1 million.
The suspects—comprising four men and one woman—arrived on a flight originating from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Customs inspectors flagged the group after noticing that one of the travelers wore shoes with unusually thick soles.
Customs Discovery and Arrest at Haneda Airport
Customs inspectors at the Tokyo facility first pulled aside two of the suspects for detailed searches. Each shoe contained 500 grams of concealed cocaine, totaling 1 kilogram per person.
Statements provided by the initial detainees raised suspicions that others were traveling with them. Authorities subsequently located and detained three additional individuals within the airport terminal. Fuji News Network, Nippon News Network, and TBS News DIG reported that all five suspects employed the exact same concealment method, wearing footwear modified to hide the narcotics.
Telegram Recruiter Offered Suspects Payment to Transport Packages
Investigators examining digital trails discovered communication via the high-anonymity Telegram messaging app. One suspect told Japanese authorities that an unidentified recruiter offered a payment of RM8,000 to transport the packages overseas.
Police suspect the group was recruited by a Malaysia-based criminal syndicate due to their financially strapped backgrounds and lack of familiarity with the organizers. Four of the suspects admitted to the smuggling charges during questioning, while a 25-year-old female suspect denied them, claiming she was unaware the packages contained cocaine.
Home Ministry Implements Physical Checks After Regional Drug Arrests
The Tokyo arrests follow a series of similar international drug interceptions involving Malaysian citizens traveling through regional aviation hubs. Indonesian authorities detained five Malaysians at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta last month for allegedly smuggling 5 kilograms of etomidate in their shoes, following the July arrest of a Malaysian pilot caught bringing 25 kilograms of ecstasy into Indonesia.
In response to these incidents, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated that Malaysia’s Home Ministry would implement full physical checks on passengers and baggage for outbound flights departing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to destinations classified as high-risk based on intelligence data.