Japanese authorities at Haneda Airport in Tokyo detained five drug smugglers attempting to smuggle approximately 5kg of cocaine valued at ¥120 million (RM3.1 million), which was hidden under the insoles of their shoes.

The group - four men and one woman, all Malaysians - were intercepted during a customs inspection upon arrival in Japan. They had successfully bypassed security checks while departing from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Customs officials grew suspicious of one of the suspects after noticing that the soles of his shoes were unusually thick, Fuji News Network reported.

A search revealed cocaine hidden under the shoe insoles of two of the suspects, prompting officers to identify three other individuals believed to be travelling with them.