Another foolish technique of smuggling drugs has emerged with the arrest of a Nigerian who concealed 1.4kg of syabu (methamphetamine) worth RM350,000 in 10 car engine pistons.
The suspect, aged 28, attempted to dupe police officers at the KL International Airport (KLIA) that the pistons, kept among his clothes in a suitcase, were to be delivered to a car accessories outlet here.
The man landed here last Sunday from Dubai, and naturally police were puzzled as to why he would fly 5,533km to KL to deliver 10 boxes of pistons.
Selangor Narcotics Investigation Department chief ACP Nordin Kadir said this was the first time police came across drugs smuggled in pistons and described the attempt as “silly”.
"The suspect has been in and out of this country twice since last year. We believe he was a member of an international drug syndicate and might have used the same method when entering other countries, too," said Nordin at a Press conference at Selangor police headquarters.
The suspect, who has been remanded until Sunday to facilitate investigations, was among three African drug-smuggling suspects nabbed by police from Feb 20 to 23. The other two were another Nigerian man aged 32, and a Zambian woman, aged 24.
"The other Nigerian and the Zambian woman hid syabu beneath the altered frames of their suitcases, similar to the tactic used by many other drug smugglers over the years," said Nordin.
The 32-year-old Nigerian, who also flew in from Dubai, was found with 1kg of syabu while the Zambian woman had 2.7kg of syabu packed in three plastic bags inside her suitcase.
"She flew in from Johannesburg (South Africa). When questioned, she said she came here to study. She did have several textbooks in her suitcase," said Nordin.
The drugs seized from the three Africans have a total street value of RM1,275,000.
All three are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death penalty.
