KUALA LUMPUR: Thirty-eight Malaysians, including three who are on death row for drug trafficking, are being held in several prisons and detention centres in China.

Sources said two of the Malaysians sentenced to death were arrested in November 1999 while the other was arrested in December 2000.

They said all three were sentenced to death for attempting to smuggle 'ice' (syabu) into China, which has tough laws on drug trafficking.

The sources said the Chinese authorities have identified South-East Asians as being actively involved in the trafficking of drugs into the mainland.

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