3 Iranian Sportsmen and Ahmadinejad’s Security Officer Were Arrested in Malaysia Smuggling Drugs

Iranian policeman, sportsmen in Malaysia drug bust Agence France-Presse First Posted 14:57:00 04/18/ KUALA LUMPUR Malaysian police said Sunday they arrested an Iranian policeman and two sportsmen caught smuggling methamphetamines into the country. Central Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar told AFP the three were arrested at Kuala Lumpur international airport Saturday morning after they were found behaving suspiciously when having their bags screened by customs. “The three Iranians are a policeman from the country’s sports division, a volleyball player and a martial arts exponent,” he said. “When police inspected their bags, they found the metal handles of their trolley bags filled with methamphetamines,” Khalid added. The haul has a street value of about one million ringgit (3381). “We believe the three are part of a group who are smuggling drugs into Malaysia and who have used this technique of smuggling drugs in bag handles before. We believe it is an Iranian syndicate,” he added. Iran’s ambassador to Malaysia has said international crime gangs are using Iranians to smuggle drugs into Malaysia, which police say are reportedly being sold to the local market at nearly half the regular price. More than 15 Iranians have been arrested for drug smuggling at the international airport since the beginning of the year with close to 50 Iranians caught for drug offences in Malaysia this year, say police.