Malaysian drug suspect claims Tokyo airport staff bribed to let group pass unchecked
KUALA LUMPUR: One of the five Malaysians arrested in Japan with 5kg of cocaine claimed he was told airport staff had been bribed to ensure they can pass unchecked.
A Malaysian drug suspect claims airport staff in Tokyo were bribed to allow his group to pass through without inspection, according to Japanese news outlet Fuji News Network. The 24-year-old suspect, quoted by FNN, stated, "I was told the airport staff had been paid, so we would not be checked." However, FNN did not provide evidence of any bribe or specify the airport in question.
The five Malaysians, allegedly caught due to the impracticality of carrying such a large quantity of cocaine, were accused of attempting to smuggle 5kg of the drug concealed in their shoe insoles. The investigation began when Japanese customs officers noticed the suspects' shoes, which had an unusual thickness. Each of the suspects is believed to have carried roughly 1kg of cocaine, with 500g hidden in each shoe.
The Federal Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, confirmed the arrests of two men and three women, all Malaysian nationals, on October 10. Khan stated that a team would be dispatched to Japan to investigate the case further, including potential connections to Malaysian and international drug networks.
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