Malaysians warned against carrying strangers’ belongings overseas after Tokyo drug arrests

MALAYSIANS travelling abroad have been warned against accepting offers to carry items for other people following the arrest of five Malaysians in Tokyo over the alleged smuggling of 5kg of cocaine.

Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said travellers should be particularly cautious of last-minute requests to transport parcels or other belongings, especially when they did not know what the items contained.

He said such offers could expose unsuspecting travellers to drug-smuggling syndicates and leave them facing prosecution under the laws of their destination country.

“Being alert and cautious is extremely important when accepting offers to carry items or parcels at the last minute before travelling overseas.

“I want to take this opportunity to remind all Malaysian travellers not to simply accept offers to carry items belonging to other people,” he explained.

Mohd Shuhaily also cautioned travellers against accepting sponsored trips or travel packages offered by people they did not know, including through social media platforms.

He said suspicious arrangements could involve requests made shortly before departure, with travellers asked to carry, wear or use items without being told what they contained.

“People should be suspicious of anything handed to them by strangers. They could eventually find themselves caught up in a case overseas after being arrested for smuggling prohibited substances, including drugs,” he said.

Mohd Shuhaily said such requests often came at the last minute, when travellers were preparing to leave the country. He urged anyone who encountered suspicious offers to report them to the authorities immediately.

“When faced with such a situation, please report it to the authorities immediately if you suspect anything about the parcel or item you have been asked to carry.

“Acting quickly can prevent you from becoming entangled in such cases and subsequently facing the laws of the destination country,” he said.

Commenting on the arrests at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Friday and Saturday, Mohd Shuhaily said he believed Japanese authorities had acted on intelligence and information-sharing.

“I believe the arrests were carried out by the Japanese authorities after they received information about the attempt to smuggle the cocaine through intelligence and information-sharing,” he said.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that the five Malaysians were suspected of attempting to smuggle cocaine into Japan, with the drugs allegedly concealed beneath the insoles of their shoes.

Customs officers discovered packets of cocaine hidden under the insoles during inspections at the airport. The drugs were estimated to be worth US$757,300 (about RM3.2 million).

According to NHK, four of the five suspects admitted to the allegations, while the fifth denied them.

One of the suspects, Mohd Danial Farhan Abdul Rahman, reportedly told Japanese authorities that he had met an individual through a social media application who later asked him to transport drugs overseas.

The individual allegedly offered him a substantial payment and provided a pair of shoes for him to wear during the journey. – October 13, 2026