Tokyo:The Home Ministry is set to engage with Japanese authorities to gather accurate details regarding the arrest of Malaysians suspected of involvement in a drug smuggling case in Japan.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail instructed Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan to promptly verify the facts. The Home Ministry aims to relay complete information about the incident to the media as soon as it is available.

Five Malaysians, including a woman, were arrested at Tokyo's Haneda Airport last Saturday on suspicion of trying to smuggle approximately five kilograms of cocaine, valued at 120 million yen (RM3.1 million). Fuji News Network (FNN) reported that customs officers grew suspicious of a suspect due to unusually thick shoe soles. The drugs were allegedly hidden beneath the shoe insoles during a flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and discovered upon arrival in Japan.

Saifuddin Nasution mentioned that this action follows a similar approach taken in cases involving the arrest of a Malaysian co-pilot in Jakarta and the seizure of 521 kg of drugs from a private jet in Laos, initially alleged to be from Malaysia.

Additionally, a joint committee from the Home Ministry and the Transport Ministry (MOT) is set to implement 17 recommendations to bolster security at KLIA and other national entry points. These initiatives will unfold in three phases, with the first phase focusing on high-risk destinations, termed hotspots. Comprehensive screening, including body and baggage checks, will be conducted for all passengers at these locations. However, destinations in Japan, including Tokyo, are not on the original hotspot list.