In the eyes of the Iranian drug traffickers, Malaysia is a piece of "golden land" and "drug smugglers' heaven." This is because for every one kilogram of "syabu crystal" (crystal methamphetamine) valued at market price of $ 100,000 ringgit that they brought in to Malaysia, they could sell them off for M$ 200,000 ringgit per kilogram. In this new 2010 year alone, the Malaysian police have already arrested 50 Iranian drug smugglers who tried to get through the gate of custom check points.
How active are the Iranian drug smuggling activities in Malaysia nowadays? Malaysia's National Narcotics Department Director Datuk Zulhasnan has this description: "In the past one month or so, Iranians have been arrested almost daily for trying to smuggle illicit drugs to Malaysia."
From 1 January to 25 February, Malaysian police have already arrested a total of 50 Iranian smugglers of which 47 were males, and the others were women. From their bodies, police seized a total of 55.133 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 6.9 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine and 4 kilograms of cocaine. Most of the 50 Iranian drug suspects were arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. A few of them were arrested at the hotels they stayed.
Great Potential Market for Illicit Drugs
When asked to explain the sudden surge of Iranian drug traffickers in Malaysia, Datuk Zulhasnan said the phenomenon of the sudden increase of Iranian drug traffickers was not only confined to Malaysia alone. He said other countries also faced similar problems. However, according to Malaysian police's analysis, "the ice" has much better potential market in Malaysia. This type of crystal methamphetamine could fetch a very good price in Malaysia. This was the main reason why the Iranian drug syndicates would want to choose Malaysia for their illicit drug trafficking activities.
Datuk Zulhasnan said that for example, when one kilogram of crystal methamphetamine was sold between M$100, 000 to M$150,000 ringgit in Iran, but when the Iranian drug traffickers brought them into Malaysia, they could sell them off at between M$200,000 to M$25,000 ringgit per kilogram. The profit was doubled.
With reference to the earlier report that an Iranian mafia gang has connection with Malaysia's illicit drug trafficking activities, Datuk Zulhasnan said that the case was still under the police investigation. He added that in the very near future, he would make arrangement for the police officers to discuss the issue with the Iranian Ambassador and with other relevant units of the Iranian Embassy in Malaysia.
Malaysia Sends Police To Station in Six Countries
According to earlier report, Malaysian police have already received information from the Iranian embassy in Kuala Lumpur that the recent and frequent Iranian drug trafficking activities in Malaysia was related to a Mafia gang with a base in Iran.
To order to stop the Iranian drug trafficking activities to spread further in Malaysia, Datuk Zulhasnan said the police in Bukit Aman police headquarters have for the first time sent six Malaysian police officers to station in six countries in order to monitor, consult, facilitate and carry out investigation on this drug trafficking case related to Iranians. Datuk Zulhasnan said:
"By stationing Malaysian police in these six countries, our Malaysian police officers will also monitor the drug trafficking situation in the nearby areas. For example, the police officer tasked to station in China will also be responsible to keep watch on the drug trafficking activities in Taiwan and China."
Datuk Zulhasnan said that from the types of drugs recovered from the bodies of the Iranian drug smugglers, there was one thing that surprised the police. The surprise was that volume of cocaine recovered from the Iranian drug suspects was on the increase as time went by. He said:
"Generally the use of cocaine is more popular in the United States. However, this type of illicit drugs has also quietly entered the Malaysian market recently."
Difficult To Escape Police Eyes
During the Lunar Chinese New Year period, the Malaysian police also successfully detected four international drug-trafficking cases. The police arrested four Iranian men and recovered 24.8 kilograms of drugs concealed in shower gel and shampoo bottles as well illicit drugs concealed inside the cover of encyclopedias. These four cases happened from 23 to 25 February which was the 10th and 12th day of the Lunar Chinese New Year. The police recovered a total of 5.6 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (the ice), 6.9 kg of liquid methamphetamine, and 12.3 kilograms of cocaine with these few days. The police have invoked the 1952 Dangerous Drugs Act Article 39B to charge the four Iranian drug suspects aged between 36 to 48 years of age. Under this Article 39B, once these drug suspected were convicted the only sentence was death penalty.
At the press conference held by Malaysia's National Narcotics Department Director Datuk Zulhasnan, he said that on Tuesday 23 February night at 2200, the Bukit Aman Narcotics Unit spotted a suspicious Iranian man at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Upon checking the police seized 4.9 kilogram of crystal methamphetamine inside a biscuit box. Investigation has shown that the suspect arrived in Malaysia from one of the Middle Eastern countries.
On the following day that was Wednesday 24 February at 0600, the police also arrested another Iranian man just arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport from Dubai. While the police could not find any drug in the suitcase and body of that Iranian, however, when the suspect was taken to the hospital for X-ray scan, the police found 65 capsules of "the ice" weighted a total of 453 grams inside the body of the Iranian.
On the same day, the airport staff also found an unclaimed suitcase left at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. On investigation the police were surprised to find a total of 12.3 kilogram of cocaine concealed in the covers of six thick encyclopedias. According to information available, the luggage was left by a Pakistani passenger. It was believed that the drug trafficking passenger who left behind the suitcase must have cold feet and left the "drug luggage" at the airport.
In addition, on 25 February at 1.15 am, the police also detected the case of "some Iranians refining narcotics drugs in hotel." This hotel is located along P. Ramli Road in downtown Kuala Lumpur. When the police raid the hotel room, they found two Iranian men on the spot and seized 200 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 6.9 kilograms of liquid methamphetaminece and other illicit drug refinery equipment, including scales and chemical equipment.
2 comments:
Malaysian authorities should taking a short class or briefing prior to the visa issued mandatory to go over the dangers of carrying drugs and the stiff penalties they impose on whom is caught with drugs, I am sure this will reduce the number of people who do this type of work due to the economy factors.
Malaysian government should make a pre visa aplication mandatory for those whom want to visit the country. in that class they should show a documentary of the things that happen at their airport and how wrong they are who think they can carry it in a certain way and the fact that they give execution for above 5 grams! Im sure the number of traffickers will go down dramatically she they see how things work there at the airport. This classes should be at the cost of the applicants/visitors.
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