Glamour and freebies mask perilous journey for Malaysian drug mules

PETALING JAYA – When compu­ter salesman Jason Cheah (not his real name) received a text message telling him that he had been selected for an all-expenses-paid trip to South Korea, he was ecsta­tic.

He had earlier responded to an offer posted by an unknown individual on a social media platform for a five-day, one-off job that came with free return air tickets, five-star accommodation, free tours and about RM5,000 (S$1,600) in South Korean currency.

Cheah was added to a Whats­App group with five other men and they were told by a man to check into a plush hotel in Kuala Lum­pur a day before their trip.

When the day came, Cheah, who is in his 20s, and the five men whom he had never met before were approached by an indivi­dual who told them the job involved carrying a few packages of “sports-enhancing supplements” for a client in South Korea.

The man told them the drug, although outlawed, was not dangerous and assured them that if they were caught, the authorities would merely seize the packages and they would be let off and allowed to proceed with their holi­days.

Between 1kg and 2kg of the drug was strapped on them before they left for Kuala Lumpur Interna­tional Airport to catch their flight.

During the security check at the airport, a metal plate on the sole of one of the men’s shoes triggered the detector.

And as he was being checked, small packets of methamphetamines were found concealed in the shoes.

The airport authorities traced the others, including Cheah, and nabbed them. All six were found to be in possession of the same drug.

That was when the truth hit Cheah. He had been “enticed” into becoming a drug mule.

Senior criminal defence lawyer K.A. Ramu, who is Cheah’s legal counsel, said his client was one of the many victims of drug syn­dicates that are increasingly using social media to lure young Malaysians with glamour, free­bies and

promises of easy money

.

He told The Star that the case occurred in 2023, and Cheah, who was convicted of drug trafficking, was sentenced to 30 years’ impri­sonment and

12 strokes of the cane

and is now awaiting a final appeal at the Federal Court.

“There are many Malaysian drug mules who are languishing in both foreign and local jails.

“Some were well aware of what they were carrying while others were simply naive,” said Mr Ramu, who has handled more than a dozen cases involving detained drug mules over the past 25 years.

Veteran criminologist P. Sundramoorthy said drug syndicates are turning social media into a recruitment pipeline as it minimises the risk of being identified while giving them direct access to vulnerable users nationwide.

“The recruiters take advantage of the reach, anonymity and speed of these platforms to hunt for potential drug mules.

“Upon identifying a target, reaching out takes place through encrypted chats, disposable accounts and private groups.

“This makes the whole process almost invisible,” he told The Star.

Datuk Sundramoorthy said a strong family support system will help prevent people from being lured into becoming drug mules.

“Families should pay close attention to their members when they notice sudden increased income or costly gadgets, secretive behaviour, unexplained travel, shifts in social circles or a growing obsession for luxury,” he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK