Iranian arrested on drugs charges

Kuala Lumpur (dpa) – Malaysian police have detained an Iranian man
on suspicion of trying to smuggle drugs worth 1 million ringgit
(312,500 dollars) into the country inside a microwave oven, news
reports said Wednesday.

The 27-year-old suspect arrived at Kuala Lumpur International
Airport from Dubai on Friday, the Star newspaper reported.

The man had hidden 10 plastic bags of powdered methamphetamine in
the side panels of the oven, which initially managed to pass airport
X-ray machines undetected, said Selangor state anti-narcotics chief
Nordin Kadir.

However, police became suspicious of the man’s behaviour and
seized the drugs, known in Malaysia as syabu, after taking the oven
apart, he said.

Nordin said 4.15 kilograms of the drug was seized, adding that the
suspect claimed he had been given 500 dollars in Iran to bring the
drugs in.

He said authorities believe Malaysia is currently a hotspot for
drug traffickers due to higher market prices.

“In Iran, 1 kilogram of syabu is about 160,000 ringgit (50,000
dollars) but the amount jumps to 250,000 ringgit in Malaysia,” Nordin
was quoted as saying by the news report.

Authorities have detained more than 50 Iranians for drug offences
in Malaysia this year, 16 of them at the international airport,
police said.