SEREMBAN: An Indonesian youth, who recently graduated from a public university in the republic, has been arrested for allegedly trafficking 5.1kg of syabu.
Negri Sembilan police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Alzafny Ahmad said the suspect, who was in his early 20s, was detained at the Port Dickson jetty terminal around 9.45am on Nov 11 as he was about to board a ferry back to Tanjung Balai.
"A preliminary probe revealed that the suspect entered the country via the same jetty on Nov 4.
"We also have reasons to believe this was his first trip here," he told reporters at the state police contingent headquarters.
DCP Alzafny said a narcotics team stopped the suspect who was a graduate in Islamic and Arabic Studies from a university in Aceh, after noticing him behaving suspiciously.
Customs officers on duty then scanned his luggage and detected six suspicious packages concealed inside the bag's gussets.
When the side panels were cut open, officers discovered about 5.1kg of drugs believed to be syabu hidden inside.
DCP Alzafny said the suspect then took police to a condominium unit in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur where he had stayed during his visit here.
At the unit, police found another bag with six packages of syabu weighing 4.1kg in it.
He said the 9.2kg of drugs had an estimated street value of more than RM476,000.
"Upon questioning, the suspect told us that he had been looking for a job and had also made some inquiries on social media.
"An Indonesian man who lives in Malaysia then contacted him and asked if he was keen to work in a restaurant here or if he was prepared to take the risk to become a drug mule to carry drugs back to the republic," he said.
DCP Alzafny said the suspect claimed he was offered RM6,000 for the job.
Police, he said, was also verifying with the Indonesian embassy here if the suspect's travel documents were authentic.
He said police have also identified the main suspect and was now looking for him.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act which carries the death penalty or a jail term of between 30 years and 40 years and mandatory whipping upon conviction.
