Malaysian police arrested 601 foreigners for alleged drug smuggling this year, compared to 382 arrested in the first nine months of 2010, officials said today.

Police at the KL International Airport detected 419 cases of suspected drug trafficking and seized an estimated RM30 million (US$10 million) worth of drugs, the New Straits Times said.

Iranian and Nigerian nationals topped the list of arrests, followed by suspects from Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and others, an officer at national police headquarters said.

The rise in arrests sparked concerns that the country continues to attract international drug syndicates as a transit point to channel the drugs to neighbouring South-East Asian nations.

Malaysia’s tough drug laws prescribe the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking.

- dpa