Rogue Malaysian beauty influencers are money laundering for drug gangs, police say
Malaysia , as authorities uncover links between a booming online beauty industry and drug syndicates needing to launder money.
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Assets valued at around 1 million ringgit (US$235,000) – including a Range Rover and Toyota Alphard – were confiscated on Friday following the arrest of a beauty entrepreneur in Terengganu state. The suspect was detained on April 28 with 1kg (2.2lbs) of methamphetamine.
Terengganu police chief Mohd Khairi Khairuddin said the suspect, whose identity has been withheld, was being held for interrogation and would be released on Monday.
'The results of the examination of the suspect's body found a green plastic bag containing 1.02kg of syabu,' Mohd Khairi said on Friday, using the local term for methamphetamine.
Terengganu police commissioner Mohd Khairi Khairudin. Photo: National Security Council of Malaysia
The suspect also tested positive for Nimetazepam – a powerful sedative – and could face the death penalty or life imprisonment, along with no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane, if convicted.
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