IPOH: Police have thwarted a drug trafficking attempt by a 29-year-old Singaporean and seized about RM1.5mil worth of dried ganja buds at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here.
Perak police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the unemployed man was apprehended after his check-in baggage was searched by auxiliary policemen at the airport at about 6.20am on Sunday.
Comm Mohd Alwi said some 36 plastic packages containing about 19,040g of the drugs were found in the baggage.
He said the suspect had been promised a lucrative job offer to deliver contraband branded goods to the United Kingdom.
“He found the job offer from a website which promised to pay about S$4,000,” he said in a press conference at the state police contingent headquarters here yesterday.
“He flew from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and stayed at a hotel in Kajang before arriving here.
“He is believed to have picked up the baggage before taking an e-hailing cab to Ipoh on Saturday,” he said, adding that the suspect was being used as a drug mule.
“He was supposed to fly to London via transit in Singapore from Ipoh,” he said.
Comm Mohd Alwi said the man was remanded for seven days starting on Monday.
He said the matter is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries a death sentence or a lifetime in jail and caning.
“The amount of drugs was enough to supply about 47,900 people,” he said, adding that this was the second time drugs were seized at the airport this year.
On an unrelated matter, Comm Mohd Alwi said police would investigate an incident involving fireworks that were shot off in the middle of the road at Jalan Kuala Kangsar here.
He said that while no reports were lodged, police would check for recorded footage of the incident.
“We are serious about such incidents, as the act posed a risk to motorists.
“Such an incident should not have happened, as celebrations should have been done at locations that do not disturb road users or the general public,” he added.
