Malaysians held in Tokyo after 5 kg of cocaine found under their shoe insoles
Japanese police have arrested five Malaysians at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on suspicion of smuggling about 5 kg of cocaine under their shoe insoles, with a street value police put at 120 million yen (US$758,000).
Five Malaysians, including two men and three women aged 19 to 26, were arrested in Tokyo after customs officers discovered 5 kg of cocaine hidden under their shoe insoles on a flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport on October 9. The suspects claimed they were sightseeing with friends, but upon arrival, customs officers searched three additional individuals and found cocaine concealed in the same manner.
The investigation began when customs officers noticed that one traveler wore shoes with unusually thick soles, leading them to suspect foul play. The arrested individuals were among six Malaysians who had arrived in Tokyo on October 9, with the remaining person returning to Malaysia. One of the detained suspects, a 24-year-old man, revealed that a contact on Telegram had offered him a job carrying illegal drugs overseas for RM8,000 ($1,960) per person.
He was apprehended along with his wife and friends, all of whom are among the five detained. Police believe that the five suspects may have been instructed to bring the drug into Japan and suspect the involvement of an international smuggling ring. Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail expressed concern over the incident, stating that his ministry was seeking information from Japanese authorities regarding how the group allegedly bypassed security checks at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
He also instructed the narcotics division to collaborate with them in investigating the arrests and any potential connections to drug syndicates in Malaysia and abroad.
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