Three Malaysian women held in Jakarta over suspected drug possession
Bukit Aman confirms three Sabahan women were detained at Soekarno-Hatta airport after drugs were allegedly found hidden in their luggage and shoes.
PETALING JAYA – Three more Malaysians have been detained by Indonesian authorities over a suspected drug smuggling case at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta on Monday.
The arrests came about five days after a Malaysian pilot was detained at the same airport over an alleged attempt to smuggle drugs.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed the detention of the three women, adding that Malaysian police had been informed of the case by the authorities in that country.
He said the women were from Sabah, aged 30 and 39, and had travelled there for a holiday.
"Checks found that two of the suspects have previous records involving drug offences.
"They went there for a holiday and the drugs seized are believed to be more for personal use, and the quantity was small," he said in a statement to the media here today.
However, he said the three women were believed to have no link to the syndicate connected to the earlier detention of a Malaysian man in Surabaya.
Earlier, CNN Indonesia reported that Customs officers at Soekarno-Hatta airport had foiled an alleged drug smuggling attempt by three female air passengers.
According to the report, the three Malaysian women were detected trying to bring in the prohibited items by hiding them in their belongings, including inside shoes.
The incident took place at the International Arrivals Terminal 2F on Monday, with the flight carrying the three women arriving from Kota Kinabalu.
The drugs were believed to have been carried in a toiletry bag inside their baggage, in a purse, in a medicine packet, a jacket pocket and the shoes they were wearing.
The total seizure comprised 2.8 grams (g) of suspected cocaine, 6.6g of pills suspected to be MDMA, 1.8g of powder suspected to be ketamine and 16.9g of tobacco suspected to be mixed with ketamine.
Also seized were 1.4g of suspected cocaine and one cartridge suspected to contain ketamine. Authorities have carried out sample testing on the items examined.
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