KUALA LUMPUR: Police have dismissed viral social media claims that a Malaysian university student was arrested in Indonesia for attempting to smuggle 4kg of methamphetamine, commonly known as syabu, into the country.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said investigations confirmed that the suspect arrested by Indonesian authorities was Indonesian, not Malaysian as claimed in circulating reports.
He said the man was detained by Tanjung Balai police in North Sumatra on Oct 10 after arriving at Teluk Nibung Ferry Terminal from Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.
"Preliminary investigations found that Indonesian authorities detained an Indonesian man who had arrived at the Teluk Nibung Ferry Terminal from Port Dickson.
"An inspection of his belongings uncovered eight plastic packages containing substances suspected to be methamphetamine, weighing approximately 4kg," he said in a statement today.
Hussein said further investigations revealed that the drugs had been handed to the suspect by another Indonesian man in the Klang Valley.
The suspect was believed to have been tasked with transporting the drugs into Indonesia through the Tanjung Balai ferry terminal.
He said police had taken note of social media reports claiming that a Malaysian university student had been caught smuggling the drugs.
However, he stressed that the claims were inaccurate and could cause unnecessary confusion and concern among Malaysians.
"The claim that a Malaysian was arrested and that a university student was caught smuggling 4kg of syabu is untrue.
"Such inaccurate information can create confusion and anxiety among members of the public," he said.
Hussein urged media organisations and the public to verify information with the relevant authorities before publishing or sharing reports, particularly those involving international drug trafficking cases.
He said the NCID would continue working closely with Indonesian authorities to gather intelligence and establish the source of the drugs.
Investigators would also seek to dismantle the drug trafficking network operating in Malaysia believed to be linked to the case.
He urged anyone with information on drug trafficking activities to contact the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222.
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