KUALA LUMPUR,Malaysia: Malaysia, Argentina and Peru may discuss the possibility of tightening air travel among their three nations to prevent drug traffickers from landing here.

It is understood that other criminal elements from Latin America who wanted fake passports of neighbouring countries in their region also flew here to obtain them.

These passports are believed to have been made in Bangkok but sold here.

Sources said these traffickers preferred to use Lima, capital of Peru, to fly here via the twice-weekly Malaysia Airlines flights from Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina.

Malaysia does not require Peruvians to have a visa to enter the country.

The sources said those coming here with bona fide passports used the fake passports to travel to other destinations for illegal activities.

It is understood that Immigration officials in the three countries intend to work closely to prevent drug traffickers and drug mules on flights originating from Lima and landing in Buenos Aires from travelling freely to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Two Peruvians were on death row over the past year but one was freed after his lawyer proved that he had been told to go to Bangkok via Kuala Lumpur with luggage that he did not know contained drugs.

The other Peruvian, sentenced to death for smuggling drugs into the country, has filed an appeal against his death sentence. His case is pending in the Court of Appeal.

Peruvian ambassador to Malaysia Alejandro A. Gordillo, when contacted yesterday, said he was aware that people from Latin America were using Lima to travel here for several reasons, including smuggling drugs.

He said the embassy was monitoring the case of the Peruvian on death row here and offering as much help as it could to his family in Peru.

"There is not much that we can do. But we try our best to help the families of those jailed or facing charges here."

Gordillo said Peru and other Latin American countries were willing to work with Malaysia in the fight against the drug menace.

On the 15 Malaysians in Peruvian jails after being convicted of drug charges, he said Peruvian laws were strict on drug trafficking but the maximum sentence for the offence was six years in prison.

"I am sure your ambassador in Peru is dealing with the matter," he said, adding that he had not been contacted by Wisma Putra on the matter.

Asked if the imposition of visas would help stem the arrival of drug traffickers here from Lima, Gordillo said the issue had not been raised.

He was commenting on a report in the New Straits Times earlier this month that stated that 12 women and three men had been used as drug mules by international drug trafficking syndicates.

Of the 12 women, five are serving their sentences outside prison. One had delivered a baby in prison.

A Thai woman, who had travelled from Peru, was arrested at KLIA recently for trafficking in cocaine concealed in picture frames.

The authorities believe the drug, worth RM1.7 million (S$693,600), was intended for sale in Bangkok. -NST