HK yet to seek Malaysia’s help over drug arrests

PETALING JAYA: Hong Kong authorities have yet to contact their Malaysian counterparts to assist in the case involving six Malaysians arrested for trying to smuggle nearly HK$4mil (RM2mil) worth of ketamine into the city.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigations Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh said he was aware of the arrests, adding that the investigation was being handled by the Hong Kong Customs department, and not the police there.

“There has been no request for help from the authorities in Hong Kong yet,” he added.

On Wednesday, six Malaysians aged between 18 and 28 were arrested by Customs officers at the Hong Kong International Airport after they were flagged for inspection at the customs clearance counter.

The South China Morning Post reported that four of the six Malaysian men were found with ketamine strapped to their bodies.

“The haul had an estimated street value of HK$3.9mil,” a source with the knowledge of the case told the daily.

It also said that the officers were investigating whether the drugs were smuggled into Malaysia before being brought to Hong Kong, and how the six suspects were recruited.

The arrests were believed to have been a first in a long time, with the daily stating that the last instance of such a case involving Malaysians was about 10 years ago.