Sarawak couple among five held in Japan drug bust

JOHOR BAHRU: A married couple from Sarawak are among five Malaysians arrested in Japan after authorities discovered about five kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in their shoe soles.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department Director, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the couple were believed to have brought three friends along on a holiday to Japan.

He said the five suspects, aged between 19 and 26, were arrested at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo on Oct 10.

Police believe the husband may have organised the drug smuggling attempt, while his wife had invited the three friends to join the trip.

“The group was led by the woman’s husband, and she invited her friends for a trip to Japan, with each given a pair of shoes that had been pre-stuffed with drugs,” he told a press conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters on Friday (Oct 16).

Hussein said the five were believed to have acted as drug mules for an international syndicate, with each promised RM8,000 to transport a pair of shoes containing cocaine.

He said the group had travelled from Sarawak to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) before boarding a flight to Tokyo.

“We believe they were aware of what they were carrying, which is an illegal substance,” he said.

Japanese customs authorities discovered the drugs concealed inside the soles of the shoes worn by the suspects.

Hussein said initial checks found that none of the five had previous criminal records.

Investigations were ongoing to establish whether the suspects had travelled to other countries using the same modus operandi or had wider involvement with the syndicate.

Police were also working to identify the syndicate responsible for supplying the drug-filled shoes.

Meanwhile, Hussein confirmed that another Malaysian, identified as a travel agent, had been cleared of involvement in the case.

He said the department had sent a team to Japan to gather further information and assist investigations.

Hussein also advised Malaysians to be cautious of travel offers involving requests to carry shoes, bags or other items overseas.

He urged travellers to check the contents of their belongings to avoid being exploited by drug syndicates.