Malaysian police arrested three Uzbekistan nationals for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs worth 3.35 million ringgit (1.1 million dollars) into the country, the New Straits Times reported Wednesday.
Authorities on Tuesday found a total of 13.4 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in secret compartments in their luggage, the report quoted acting Federal Narcotics director Othman Harun as saying, dpa reported.
The trio, a man and two women, had just landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport from the Middle East, the report said.
Police said they believed the three, who were on their first visit to Malaysia, were recruited by Iranian drug syndicates as so-called mules, to carry and deliver the drugs.
Last week, two Turks and two Bulgarians were arrested in two separate incidents for alleged dug trafficking at the airport. All four had come to Malaysia via the Middle East.
Malaysian police have apprehended 84 Iranian nationals this year on suspicion of drug smuggling and impounded a total of 240 kilograms of methamphetamines, worth 60 million ringgit.
The police said this may have caused the Iranian syndicates to recruit mules from other countries, according to the report.