PETALING JAYA, Aug 6 — Three Malaysian women have been arrested at Jakarta’s main airport after border officials allegedly found controlled drugs concealed on their persons and in their luggage.

The trio, all from Sabah and aged between 30 and 39, were detained at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport two days ago, shortly after arriving on a flight from Kota Kinabalu.

Indonesian customs officers told CNN Indonesia — in a report carried by Malaysian daily Berita Harian — that the women were stopped because they were behaving suspiciously on arrival.

A follow-up full search uncovered suspected drugs hidden across multiple locations: in their suitcases, handbags, clothing pockets, footwear and inside over-the-counter medicine packets.

In total, authorities seized 2.4 grammes of powder believed to be cocaine, 8.4 grammes of pills thought to contain MDMA, and 16.9 grammes of hand-rolled tobacco suspected to have been laced with ketamine.

Malaysian police have formally confirmed the arrests. Datuk Seri Hussein Omar Khan, director of Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Crime Investigation Department, said two of the three women have previous criminal convictions for drug offences.

He added that the group had travelled to Indonesia for a holiday. Investigators believe the small quantities of drugs seized indicate they were intended for personal use, rather than for supply or trafficking.