PETALING JAYA: A 22-year-old Malaysian man has been arrested in Indonesia after authorities allegedly found nearly 1kg of methamphetamine and more than 1,000 ecstasy pills concealed under a corset he was wearing at an airport in Surabaya.
Indonesian news portal Jakarta Globe reported that the suspect was nabbed at Juando International Airport's Terminal 2 after arriving on a Batik Air flight from Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Aug 3).
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According to the news portal, officers found 990g of methamphetamine and four packages containing 1,089 ecstasy pill concealed under a corset wrapped around his body.
The suspect was reported to have told investigators that he had agreed to work as a courier for a international drug network as he was struggling financially and had accumulated debts.
“The suspect tried to conceal the narcotics under the corset he was wearing to avoid inspection. However, the attempt was foiled,” Jakarta Globe quoted Juanda Naval Air Base commander Col Henoch Nasairus Virzawan as saying at a press conference Monday.
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Authorities estimated the seized drugs had a street value of around Rp2.79bil (US$155,000) and could potentially have reached up to 6,584 illicit drug users.
According to Jakarta Globe, the individual and the seized drugs have been handed over to the Sidoarjo municipal police for further investigations.
The suspect faces five to 20 years in jail up to life imprisonment or the death penalty if found guilty.
The latest arrest comes after a Malaysian pilot was arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle about 25kg of MDMA (ecstasy) and some methamphetamine through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta.
On Tuesday (Aug 4), it was also reported that three Malaysians had been arrested at Hat Yai Railway Station in Songkhla on July 31, on suspicion of trying to smuggle 87kg of syabu (crystal methamphetamine) concealed in three wheeled suitcases and three backpacks.
