Singaporean lured by RM12,685 job offer arrested, remanded seven days over RM1.5m cannabis haul at Ipoh Airport

A Singaporean man, aged 29, was arrested and remanded for seven days following the discovery of 1.5 million ringgit worth of dried cannabis leaves in his luggage at Ipoh Airport on November 8. The suspect, who had been deceived by a syndicate into believing he was transporting counterfeit luxury goods, was lured by a job offer of RM12,685 online.

Perak police chief Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin revealed that the syndicate targeted less busy airports, disguising drugs in passengers' luggage to evade detection. The suspect's suitcase contained 36 transparent plastic packets of cannabis flower, weighing around 19,040 grams, with an estimated street value of RM1,523,200. Despite testing negative for drugs and lacking a criminal record, the suspect was handed over to the Perak Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

Under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, conviction could result in the death penalty, life imprisonment, and whipping of at least 12 strokes.