KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Police have busted a syndicate which used foreign women to smuggle drugs into the country.

City Narcotics chief Assistant Commissioner Kang Chez Chiang said two Malaysians and two Myanmar women were arrested last Friday.

"The Myanmar women, aged 38 and 30, were arrested near a shopping mall at Taman Segar, Cheras, with a plastic bag containing 3.15kg of heroin. The two men, aged 29 and 24, were waiting inside a parked car near the mall."

He said the drugs had a street value of RM157,000 ($66,348). Police also seized jewellery, RM2,500 in several denominations and mobile phones from the four.

Kang said investigations showed the 38-year-old woman was the girlfriend of the 29-year-old lorry cleaner.

The man had a previous drug-related conviction and had once been banished to Jerantut, Pahang.

"We believe the Malaysians were using the women to bring drugs into the country."

The suspects have been remanded for seven days.

On the same day, police raided a house in Pandan Mewah, Ampang, where the two women stayed, and found 13 Myanmar nationals.

"Twelve of them did not possess valid documents. They were sent to the Immigration Department," said Kang. -NST