Bukit Aman narcotics criminal investigation department acting director Mat Zani@Salahuddin Che Ali said the trio, aged between 25 and 29, arrived in Laos on a Thai Airways flight.

He said investigations found they had left Malaysia on May 22.

“We are still investigating if the marijuana had been smuggled from here or Thailand.

“The three suspects are now in the custody of the authorities in Laos. We are gathering information and investigating the matter,” Berita Harian reported him as saying.

On May 29, the Laotian Times reported that authorities had seized more than 100 packages of marijuana at Wattay International Airport, and arrested three Malaysians who are accused of attempting to smuggle the drugs into Germany.

Officials uncovered the marijuana concealed within their suitcases, totalling approximately 86kg.

The suspects were reportedly preparing to board a Thai Airways flight en route to Germany.