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Malaysian arrested over alleged drug smuggling
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Suspected – Edwin Ong Kiat Kuat (wearing a black head cover), a 39-year-old Malaysian citizen, bows his head as customs and excise officials and police officers explain about his arrest during a press conference in Medan, North Sumatra, on Oct. 24. Kuat has been accused of trying to smuggle 201 grams of crystal methamphetamine from Malaysia. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)
T
he Customs and Excise Office and the Kualanamu International Airport reported it had arrested a Malaysian citizen for allegedly attempting to smuggle crystal methamphetamine, locally known as sabu-sabu, into Medan, North Sumatra.
The North Sumatra Customs and Excise Agency’s head of investigation and legal measures, Rizal, said it was suspected that Edwin Ong Kiat Kuat, a 39-year old Malaysian national, was a member of an international drug syndicate.
He accused the suspect of being a courier assigned to deliver drugs from Malaysia to a recipient in Medan. According to officials, Kuat told them that the drug smuggling was controlled by an inmate of the Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta.
“We are working with police officers to further investigate the case,” Rizal told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
He explained that customs and excise officers arrested Kuat during a baggage examination at Kualanamu Airport when crystal meth was detected behind the screen of a laptop.
“The crystal meth weighing 201 grams was hidden in a laptop inside a black backpack,” said Rizal.
It was the second time customs and excise personnel have arrested a Malaysian citizen for allegedly bringing crystal meth into Kualanamu Airport within the last two months. (ebf)
