Malaysian singer arrested in southern Thailand with 6,060 Yaba pills
Thai police officers arrested a well-known Malaysian singer and five other suspects in a hotel room in the Su-ngai Kolok district of Narathiwat in the early hours of November 1, with 6,060 methamphetamine pills, also known as Yaba, in their possession.
The arrests were made by officers from Su-ngai Kolok Police Station at around 3.30am in room number 814 of the Genting Hotel in Narathiwat. The suspects, three Malaysian men and two women were identified as follows:
- 28 year old female singer, Wan Norshaheeda Azlin Binti Wan Ismail, better known as Eda Ezrin
- 32 year old Mohamad Alif bin Deraman
- 34 year old Mohd Affendi Bin Ahmad
- 32 year old Nur Aida binti Mamat
- 31 year old Erdieka bin Mohd Noor
- 25 year old Zuhaira Nasrin
All suspects denied ownership of 6,060 Yaba pills but they all tested positive for the drug. The suspects were detained at Su-ngai Kolok Police Station before being moved to Narathiwat Provincial Court today, November 5.
More than 100 fans of Eda Ezrin, and relatives of the suspects, gathered outside the police station, with many offering support to the singer. Some fans reportedly cried and fainted outside the station due to stress over her detention.
Malaysian police officers and journalists also arrived in Thailand to monitor the legal proceedings. Channel 7 reported that the arrest is a significant criminal case in Malaysia, as local police had been searching for the group due to suspected drug connections.
The suspects face two charges under the Narcotics Control Act:
- Section 145: Possessing a Category 1 drug (methamphetamine) for sale, with penalties of imprisonment from two to 20 years and fines of 200,000 to 2 million baht.
- Section 162: Using a Category 1 drug (methamphetamine), with penalties of up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
Additionally, two of the suspects faced an extra charge for entering Thailand illegally, as their passports did not bear the required stamps from immigration officials of either country.
Eda Ezrin is the lead singer of the popular Malaysian song Cinta Setandan Pisang, which means “Take It Easy.” The music video was released on the YouTube channel KIJANG MUSIC on October 29 last year and has since gained over 23 million views.