By Alang Bendahara and Lee Shi-Ian

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Police are on the alert for a new tactic by African syndicates smuggling drugs.

City Narcotics Department Chief Assistant Commissioner Kang Chez Chiang said drug mules in some countries were asked to swallow high-quality latex balloons containing cocaine that were guaranteed not to burst.

"Although this tactic is not new to the world authorities and us, it is a cause for alarm as there is a rise in new cases of cocaine transported this way in South America."

Previously, drug syndicates would use a double wrapping of condoms or latex gloves, but some drug mules died of cocaine overdose when the wrappings burst.

Kang said investigations by police in South America revealed that drug cartels had found new ways of wrapping the drugs to make it safer for their mules.

"It is a major concern for us as there are several African drug syndicates operating in this region. Each has its own supplier in South America.

"It is possible that some may have made contact with South American drug syndicates that use this technique and may have used it to avoid our surveillance."

He said although police here had yet to detect such methods, it might not be long before the African drug syndicates began doing so.

"Authorities here have become wary of travellers coming from South American countries or any other 'hot' transit destination worldwide, checking them thoroughly before clearing them at checkpoints.

"This has led to some success, but this new method will require us to use a different detection system."

Drugs swallowed by mules can be detected if an X-ray machine is used, but most airports in the world do not conduct X-ray searches of travellers unless they are detained on suspicion of being smugglers.

Kang said police would keep abreast of changing crime patterns and would use different ways to detect drug mules who swallow cocaine.

"We will do more background checks on frequent travellers to see if they are indeed travelling or are being used to carry drugs, and will follow them to their destination."

He said although the amount of cocaine which could be swallowed was small, it was still a lucrative method as the value of cocaine was high. "A small-bodied person can carry up to 1kg of cocaine, while a bigger-sized person can carry up to 2kg.

"The price of 1kg of cocaine is about US$100,000 (S$141,630) in the US and South America, but in Ma-laysia, the price is US$200,000, making each trip worthwhile."

Another way to prevent drugs swallowed by mules from bursting in their stomachs was to use industrial-strength adhesive tape to wrap the packages or coat them in candle wax.

Kang said making mules swallow packages of drugs was a preferred choice of syndicates because the drugs would be difficult to detect.

"Despite this being a dangerous tactic, many drug syndicates, especially those led by Africans, often order the wo-men to swallow up to 100 capsules in one go."

"Investigations have indicated that the syndicates have employed the services of experts to find material which is durable and resistant against stomach acids."

Cocaine smuggling via Malaysia has increased dramatically in the past two weeks as syndicates race to fulfil demand by Western tourists in Thailand.

"Many Western tourists do not fancy synthetic drugs as they consider it to be a craze among Asians. Thus, the demand for cocaine is strong among tourists."

Eleven people have been nabbed this year after they were found with suspicious packages or capsules in their stomach following an X-ray.

"The latest case involved a 27-year-old Thai woman who had swallowed 62 cubes which were found to contain 787g of cocaine."

--New Straits Times